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THE    LAND 


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IVITH    OXE   HUNDRED   AXD   EIGHTY-SIX   ILLUSTRATIOXS 
BY   THE   AUTHOR 


NEW   YORK 

DODD,  MEAD,  &  COMPANY 

1S94 


PEE FACE. 


TTTHE NEVER  a  biped's  bile  gets  beyond  control  and  his  gall- 
pouch  overflows,  or  his  too-excited  vital  spirits  fly  tumult- 
uously  to  his  brain,  banging  against  the  walls  of  his  cranium, 
riotously  cavalcadiug  amidst  the  winding  coils  of  his  encephalon,  he 
feels  the  necessity  of  discharging  this  bile,  forerunner  of  jaundice ; 
of  emptying  the  gall-pouch  that  is  corroding  his  tissues  and  souring 
his  temper  ;  of  opening  a  safety-valve  for  the  vapour  of  his  seething 
brain,  and  freeing  it  of  all  dross.  The  manifestation  of  this  intel- 
lectual epuratiou  is  to  be  found  in  the  tangible  form  of  a  book, 
an  exudatory  by  means  of  which  the  patient  displays,  either  diluted 
or  condensed,  in  an  indefinite  number  of  pages,  the  morbid  state  of 
his  brain,  beset  by  the  relentless  irritation  of  acrid,  pernicious,  and 
abundant  secretions.  The  invalid  is  saved,  but  the  unfortunate 
public  who  receive  the  deleterious  shower  are  attacked :  they  catch 
the  disease  ;  the  bacilli  develop  a  million-fold  in  the  fungus  of 
imagination,  stubbornly  pursuing  their  detestable  work,  and  the 
epidemic  rages  everywhere.  I  have  been  bitten  by  the  terrible 
animalcule,  and  in  my  turn  I  save  myself  by  an  emission  of  my 
bile! 

When  acting  thus  one  is  so  thoroughly  conscious  of  committing 
an  aggressive  action  against  society,  of  being  a  disturber  of  human 


yj  TEEFACE. 

stupidity,  that  one  instinctively  feels,  unless  one  is  absolutely  per- 
verted, the  necessity  of  excusing  one's  self,  of  uttering  one's  mea 
culpa  in  the  form  of  a  very  anodyne  and  extremely  sweet  preface, 
which  the  public,  that  old  blase,  as  artful  as  a  Ked  Indian,  never 
reads  !  I  have  too  much  respect  for  routine  not  to  steal  a  march 
upon  readers  whilst  performing  my  little  act  of  sly  contrition— and 
the  public  would  not  be  the  public  if  it  departed  from  its  laudable 
habit  of  skipping  the  hypocritical  preface. 

Well,   I  was  at   Marseilles,   and   already   the   symptoms   of  the 

malady,  the  paroxysm    of  which   was   to   produce   the    lucubration 

occasioning  this   preface,   were    showing  themselves   with   vigorous 

intensity :    my  gall  was   fermenting   like   a   vat   of  new  wine  ;   the 

impetuous  ebb  and  flow  of  rebellious  bile  and  uncontrollable  blood 

rose   and  fell   at   their   own   sweet   will !      My   disease   was   at   its 

height.     One  day  I  was  sadly  sauntering  in  the  shade  of  the  trees 

of   the    Cours    Belzuuce,   digesting    with    difficulty    an    indefinable 

bouillabaisse.     After  a  while  I  stopped  to  listen   to   a   quack  who 

was  making  a  remarkable  speech  in  the  midst  of  the  silence  of  a 

gaping  crowd.     Amongst  other  marvellous  cures  performed  by  this 

learned  disciple  of  ^sculapius,  and  related  by  him,  there  was  one 

which  particularly  struck   me,  owing   to   its   prodigious   originality. 

In  narrating  this  incredible  event  I  cannot  do  better  than  textually 

quote   that    portion    of    the    eminent   doctor's    oration,   of  which    I 

scrupulously  noted  the  terms  ;  so  here  it  is  : — 

"  In  Africa,  I  was  at  Cairo,  when  they  brought  me  a  yonng 
girl  who,  fifteen  years  before,  had  fallen  asleep  on  the  banks  of 
the  Nile  ;  a  little  crocodile  had  crawled  into  her  mouth,  then  into 
her  stomach,  and  finally  into  her  intestines,  where,  ever  since,  it 
had  been  causing  the  most  frightful  agony.  What  did  I  do  ? 
Gentlemen,  I  had  this  young  person  laid  on  her  back,  I  rubbed 
her  well  with  my  balm,  and   at   that   very  instant  the  whole  body 


PREFACE.  Vll 

oponed  to  the  extent  of  three  feet,  and  those  present  beheld, 
with  as  much  awe  as  admiration,  a  monstrous  crocodile  issue  from 
the  body  of  that  unfortunate  young  person.  Gentlemen,  in  assuring 
you  that  it  was  fifteen  feet  long,  and  as  big  as  a  yearling  pig,  I 
am  guilty  of  no  exaggeration." 

This  was  a  revelation.  These  words  produced  a  deep  and  in- 
effaceable impression  on  me,  and  settled  the  choice  of  the  locality 
where  the  phases  of  my  malady  should  develop,  the  frame  wherein 
I  would  present  the  fruit  of  my  labours  to  the  puldic.  From  that 
moment  I  was  dying  to  see  the  country  where  the  crocodiles,  by  an 
inevitable  law  of  atavism,  take  board  and  lodging  in  the  bodies 
of  the  inhabitants,  and  grow  and  fatten  there  as  did  formerly  the 
gods  in  the  bodies  of  the  sacred  animals,  and  then  clear  out  witli 
such  amazing  facility  I 

I  started  for  Egypt. 

Since  then  I  have  overrun  the  valley  of  the  Nile  ;  I  here 
describe  its  strange  and  varied  aspects,  dwelling  complaisantly 
upon  the  present,  plunging  occasionally  into  the  sombre  recesses 
of  the  past,  in  order  to  stir  up  its  venerable  cumulations  and  bring 
to  the  surface  a  few  amusing  bubbles,  with  the  mufiied  echoes  of 
vanished  times  I 

Having  travelled  a  great  deal,  and  read  numbers  of  historians, 
modern  ones  especially,  I  have  acquired  an  incontestable  skill  in 
the  art  of  relating  fables,  of  distorting  facts,  and  of  arranging  them 
to  suit  the  exigencies  of  my  mood  or  the  requirements  of  the  moment 
— the  reader  will  easily  perceive  this. 

I  have  added  a  few  thousand  years  to  the  vertiginous  number 
of  centuries  so  generously  accorded  to  Egypt,  thereby  following  in 
the  wake  of  her  ancient  and  venerable  priests,  those  circumspect 
gossips,  as  cunning  as  the  cleverest  of  quacks,  who  told  such  yarns 
to  the  credulous  Greeks  who  came  to  interview  them. 


Viii  PREFACE. 

I  have  admired  the  beanty  and  proportions  of  the  lineaments  of 
the  Sphinx,  that  monster  which  possesses  nothing  remarkable  but 
its  size,  less  to  render  homage  to  truth  than  from  deference  to 
the  strange  enthusiasm  of  its  irrepressible  admirers.  For  the  same 
reason  I  have  enlarged  upon  the  praise  awarded  to  the  temple 
of  this  same  Sphinx,  a  sort  of  slightly  rough-hewn  cavern  of 
troglodytes, 

I  have  stood  enraptured  in  the  presence  of  the  imposing  masses 
of  the  Pyramids,  Cheops  especially,  the  cuneiform  character  of  which 
makes  it,  by  right,  the  grandest  thing  in  Egypt— because  one  is 
expected  to  be  suffocated  with  admiration  before  those  "■  barbarisms 
in  hewn  stone." 

I  have  described  the  elegant  profile  of  the  obelisks,  those  stupid 
big  landmarks,  those  pales  of  Titans. 

I  have  noted  without  a  smile  the  "  robust  delicacy "  of  the 
temples  of  the  valley  of  the  Nile,  the  genius  of  their  architects, 
the  prodigious  art  which  presided  at  their  erection,  while  I  felt 
convinced  that  this  debauchery  of  limestone  congestions  and  piling 
up,  on  a  large  scale,  of  heavy  and  unsightly  edifices  proved  absolutely 
nothing  in  favour  of  the  art  or  the  genius  of  their  pretentious 
architects.     On  the  contrary  I 

The  glaring  ornamentation  of  the  tombs  of  the  Valley  of  Kings, 
a  description  of  twopenny  coloured  pictures  on  stucco  fixed  to  miles 
of  walls,  did  not  please  me  ;  and  the  bats  which  swarm  in  those 
funereal  tunnels  annoyed  me  immensely.  Nevertheless  I  did  not 
fail  to  "  tremble  beneath  the  breath  of  memories  of  the  past,"  with 
a  few  romantic  Cookites  who  had  poked  themselves  m  there,  and 
who,  in  spite  of  their  respectable  emotion,  were  extremely  anxious 
to  get  out  again. 

I  have  not  missed  bestowing  the  epithet  "  sublime  "  upon  those 
stiff  and  gigantic  statues  of  gods,  which   are  in  magnitude  what  a 


PEEFACE.  3X 

Chinese  magot  is  in  exignitv.  I  have  showered  praise  on  the  isle 
of  Phila?,  that  pearl  of  Egypt,  which,  after  all,  excepting  the 
hypathral  temple  with  its  three  meagre  palm  trees,  is  only  a  mass  of 
rnbbish  scorched  by  the  sun,  of  gutted  temples  and  fallen  columns. 
The  cataract,  that  grandiose  result  of  the  freak  of  an  angry  god, 
recalled  to  my  mind  Shakespeare's  i)lay.  Much  Ado  about  Nothing  ! 

The  burlesques  of  the  incoherent  theogony  of  Egypt,  its  ridiculous 
menagerie,  reminded  me  of  the  inmates  of  the  Zoological  Gardens 
and  the  masquerades  of  Mid-Lent,  but  in  no  wise  predisposed  me 
to  believe,  like  a  great  Egyptologist,  that  "  at  the  summit  of  the 
Egyptian  Pantheon  towers  a  unique,  immortal,  uncreate,  and 
invisible  god  hidden  in  the  inaccessible  recesses  of  being " ;  for,  if 
anything  does  tower  there,  it  can  only  be  the  memory  of  the 
immense  and  cruel  madness  of  those  who  conceived  the  laughable 
silhouettes  of  this  fantastic  Olympus,  audaciously  casting  as  food 
to  the  imbecile  imagination  of  ignorant  mankind  those  headless  and 
tailless  myths,  which  so  long  misled  bewildered  humanity  in  its 
search  after  truth. 

I  have  generously  alluded  to  the  wisdom  of  the  "most  grateful 
of  all  men,"  but  regretted  tliat,  instead  of  bequeathing  us  indirectly 
that  famous  wisdom  from  which  we  are  now  seeking  to  be  freed, 
they  did  not  preserve  it  for  their  own  private  use  ;  this  would  no 
doubt  have  suited  them  remarkably  well,  and  us  even  better  I 

I  have  extolled  the  Nile,  boasted  of  the  "  limpidity  "  of  its  muddy 
waters  swarming  with  insects  and  fucus,  and  the  "variety"  which 
occurs  in  the  dispiriting  uniformity  of  its  banks,  where  from  time 
to  time  are  washed  up  the  swollen  carcass  of  a  Soudanese  negro, 
an  Arab,  or  a  camel  covered  with  bluish  sores.  Cook  the  Great, 
the  Tourists'  Cook,  the  Circular  Cook,  that  enterprising  manager  of 
universal  locomotion,  King  of  Upper  and  Lower  Egypt,  Prince  of  the 
Nile  River  and  its  intelligent  sliowman,  would  never  have  forgiven 


X  PKEFACE. 

me    for    inconsiderately   attacking    its   fluvial  fame,  and  disturbing 
the  flow  of  his  Pactolus  I 

To  bathe  in  its  waters  is,  it  appears,  the  most  agreeable  of 
pleasures.  I  speak  from  hearsay,  never  having  done  so  myself,  for 
fear  that  a  facetious  and  greedy  monster  might  have  played  me 
the  same  trick  as  the  one  which  was  so  fatal  to  Osiris  and  made 
Isis  for  ever  inconsolable. 

I  found  Nile  water  a  delicious  beverage  ;  and  when  one  remembers 
that  the  Princesses  of  the  blood  of  the  Ptolemies,  wedded  to 
foreigners,  had  it  sent  them  to  far-off  countries,  I  should  be  very 
much  looked  down  upon  were  I  to  state  here  that  the  water  is 
brackish,  that  it  produces  pimples  on  the  skin,  especially  during 
the  first  days  of  flood,  and  that  the  ancient  Egyptians  never  drank 
it  unmixed. 

The  Xile  without  crocodiles  would  not  be  the  Nile  ;  so,  to  avoid 
being  accused  of  having  confused  this  divine  river  with  some 
€ommon  stream,  as  a  certain  general  did  the  Seine  with  the  Marne, 
I  have  mentioned  crocodiles.  In  fact,  I  saw — one !  as  big  as  a 
lizard,  and  hanging  to  a  string  held  by  an  Arab,  who  wished  to 
sell  it  to  me  for  twenty  piastres.  I  had  the  tact  to  refuse,  not 
wishing  to  deprive  the  great  river  of  the  only  crocodile  it  possessed 
from  Cairo  to  the  first  cataract;  and  from  a  certain  fear  too  lest, 
yielding  to  the  temptation  of  leading  it  away  with  me  by  a  string, 
Typhon,  finding  himself  insufficiently  housed  in  that  narrow  cara- 
pace, should  seek  to  change  his  residence  and  take  up  his  abode 
in  my  far  more  ample  person  ;  the  gods  are  so  capricious  and  so 
fond  of  comfort  I 

Dreading  extremely  to  be  despised  by  Orientalists  orientalising, 
I  stood  enraptured  in  presence  of  the  worm-eaten  marvels  of 
unstable  equilibrium  of  Arabian  art ;  at  the  pleasing  imagination 
displayed   in    its    geometrical    interlacings,   at   the   surprises   of  its 


PREFACE.  XI 

arabesques,  and  at  the  grace  of  its  ornamentation — not  daring  to  own 
that  these  edifices  resemble  wedding-cakes,  the  interlacing  pattern  a 
tangled  caligraphy,  and  the  ornamentation  is  the  gaudiest  of  daubs. 

I  have  commended  the  picturesque  appearance  of  an  Arab's  rags, 
swarming  with  vermin  ;  the  purity  of  the  atmosphere  of  the 
bazaars,  reeking  with  the  smell  of  burnt  incense,  rose-water,  and 
the  dung  of  asses  and  dromedaries,  combined  with  the  unsavoury 
efliuvia  of  all  kinds  of  commodities  piled  up  in  stalls  a  few  feet 
square,  and  with  the  penetrating  goatish  odour  of  the  fellaheen. 

I  have  pitied  these  last,  because  every  one  pities  them,  especially 
those  amiable  philanthropists  who,  in  Egypt,  diligently  tickle  their 
backs  with  the  courbash. 

I  would  not  criticise  the  gait  of  the  worthy  asses  of  Cairo, 
those  cabs  of  the  East,  but  yet  I  cannot  deny  the  fact  that 
after  half  an  hour's  ride  one's  person  feels  extremely  sore  ;  and 
lucky  is  the  rider  who  has  not  been  thrown,  once  or  several  times, 
by  a  jerk  of  the  back,  as  sudden  as  unexpected,  which  is  quite 
peculiar  to  these  steeds. 

The  camels,  which  we  leave  unnoticed  at  home,  interest  us 
enormously  so  soon  as  we  set  foot  in  the  East ;  so  I  have  paid  the 
tribute  of  admiration  due  to  the  ship  of  the  desert,  with  its  double 
motion  of  pitching  and  rolling,  which,  when  you  are  seated  on  its 
hump,  gives  you  a  similar  feeling  to  that  which  you  experience 
on  the  deck  of  the  Dover  and  Calais  steamer,  when  your  stomach 
is  not  quite  as  it  should  be. 

In  order  not  to  alarm  the  interesting  idlers,  the  well-to-do  people 
plunged  in  the  delights  of  the  Luxor  Hotel,  that  Capua  of  Upper 
Egypt,  I  have  exaggerated  the  salubrity  of  this  land  of — sun- 
stroke, dysentery,  ophthalmia,  intermittent  fever,  bubos,  frightful 
hypertrojihy,  and  tuberculous  leprosy ;  this  land  infested  with 
reptiles,  scorj)ions,  flies,  and  mosquitoes. 


Xii  PREFACE. 

Fearing  to  turu  away  from  the  journey  persons  with  delicate 
tympanums  and  civilised  ears,  I  have  been  silent  respecting  the 
eternal  and  excruciating  grinding  sound  of  the  sakiehs,  the  shrill 
complaints  of  the  rebecks,  the  monotonous  hum  of  the  daraboukas, 
the  piercing  and  snuflaing  voices  of  Arab  virtuosi,  the  prolonged 
and  discordant  bellowing  of  the  trombones  of  their  orchestras,  the 
unbearable  cacophony  of  the  Khedive's  band. 

I  would  not  deprive  Gerome  of  his  illusions  by  declaring  that 
the  Almehs  sheltered  at  Esneh  are  now  frightful  jades,  old  and 
ugly,  wearing  boots  down  at  heel  and  a  kind  of  flowered  dressing- 
gown  of  glaring  colour,  who  fuddle  themselves  with  vermouth  ;  or 
bv  tellino-  him  that  the  sword-dance  and  the  dance  of  the  wasp 
are  now  no  more  than  a  bad  and  very  repugnant  cancan,  which 
takes  place  on  the  beaten  earth  floor  of  a  noxious  hovel,  lighted 
by  a  candle  stuck  in  the  neck  of  an  empty  bottle  placed  on  a 
rickety  deal  table.  It  is  even  much  against  my  wish  that  I  am 
obliged  to  state  that  no  Arab  with  the  least  claim  to  respectability 
ever  sets  foot  in  these  low  filthy  taverns,  and  that  they  are  only 
frequented  by  a  few  soft-brained  tourists  taken  there  by  smart 
dragomans,  who  are  on  the  best  of  terms  with  the  "  friends  of 
these  ladies." 

I  must  admit,  alas  !  in  spite  of  all  my  respect  for  our  venerable 
ancestress,  that  the  whole  of  the  vaunted  wisdom  of  Egypt  is 
resumed  at  the  present  day  in  the  immodest  acrobatic  performances 
of  Karagueuz,  her  science  in  the  juggleries  of  her  Psylli,  her  religion 
in  the  epileptic  convulsions  of  impure  santons,  the  waltzing  of  a 
band  of  dancing  dervishes  and  the  hideous  distortions  of  their 
howling  companions.  Her  imposing  ceremonies  of  by-gone  times 
have  given  way  to  the  feast  of  the  Return  of  the  Carpet,  a  pretext 
for  a  priest  drunk  with  hasheesh  to  trample  under  his  horse's 
hoofs   the   fanatic   faithful ;    and  to  the   bloody   anniversary   of  the 


PREFACE.  Xlll 

death  of  Hussein  and  Hassan,  when  another  variety  of  bigots  take 
delight  in  hacking  themselves  and  transpiercing  their  cheeks,  to 
the  accompaniment  of  most  horrible  yells. 

I  have  treated  tourists  in  general,  and  English  tourists  in 
particular,  rather  badly,  because  it  is  understood  that  an  English 
tourist,  who,  in  reality,  is  very  well-behaved  and  much  less 
annoying  than  others,  should  be  nevertheless  described  as  a  most 
disagreeable  person.  It  is  true  that  I  cpiite  lost  my  temper  with 
a  fellow-countryman  who  persistently  bawled  out  at  the  top  of  his 
voice  some  music-hall  choruses  in  the  hypogeum  of  Thebes  ;  and 
that  I  saw  a  German  coolly  break  and  carry  off  some  bits  of  the 
Beni-Hassan  mouldings  as  though  they  had  merely  been  pieces  of 
common  work  ;  and  if  some  very  curious  specimens  of  painting  on 
stucco,  at  the  temple  of  Abydos,  did  not  disappear  into  the  secret 
receptacles  of  this  same  Teuton,  it  was  owing  to  the  energetic 
intervention  of  English  tourists,  indignant  at  an  act  of  vandalism 
as  barefaced  as  it  was  barbaric. 


TO   THE   EEADEE. 


fJ^JfE  most  salient  feature  of  that  which  'precedes,  and  of  that  which 
is  about  to  follow,  will  he  the  evident  discursiveness  tvhich  jjre- 
tails  from  one  end  to  the  other  :  it  ivould  he  no  mistake  to  behold 
in  this  the  faithful  likeness  of  the  state  of  my  mind,  the  immediate 
consequence  of  that  of  our  crazy  century,  consumed  hy  a  colossal  and 
incurable  athumia.  It  will  be  observed  that  I  have  often  icandered 
away  from  my  subject ;  this  has  happened  to  me  each  time  the  sid)ject 
annoyed  me,  and  I  returned  to  it  so  soon  as  the  digressions,  ichich 
had  led  me  astray,  themselves  commenced  to  bother  me,  a  practice  due 
to  the  habit  of  playiiiy  truant  acquired  in  my  school-boy  days  ! 

An  absurd  and  precocious  liking  for  noise,  changing  in  course  of 
time  to  an  intemperate  taste  for  the  big  drum,  whose  mighty  rolls 
procured  me  indescribable  delight,  has  clung  to  me  in  my  mature  age 
and  exercised  regrettable  influence  on  my  literary  style.  Hence  the 
sonorous  rumbling  of  some  of  my  periods,  as  ew.pty  as  the  insides 
of  those  jcorthy  asses'  skins,  the  delight  of  my  childhood,  the  favourites 
of  my  youth  ! 

I  have  indulged,  in  many  Latin  quotations,  not  for  the  purpose  of 
laying  clfiim  to  an  erudition  I  do  not  possess,  hut  from  a  mere  instinct 
of  the  barbarian  fascinated  by  the  unknown,  and  an  irresistible 
attraction  for  the  mysterious,  an  invincible  'propensity  for  uttering 
enigmatical  words .'  I  must  have  had  some  sjyeakers  of  oracles  or 
Pythonesses  among  my  ajictstors.      I  am  obliged,  however,  to  admit 


Xvi  TO    THE    EEADEE. 

that  I  understand  the  meaning  of  some  of  m>j  quotations,  those  ivhich  I 
learnt  by  heart  at  college,  but  1  must  own  that  they  please  me  infinitely 
less  than  the  others,  the  meaning  of  which  escapes  me;  for  me  they  have 
no  longer  the  attraction  of  forbidden  fruit ;  they  are,  as  to  Eve  after 
the  apple,  without  the  relish  of  a  taste  of  risk. 

Every  time  that  I  could,  I  have  disguised  truth  ivith  a  veil.  It 
smacks  too  much  of  a  fable,  truth  stark  naked  issuing  from  a  well, 
of  all  places  in  the  loorld.  To  begin  with,  it  is  indecent,  and  besides 
it  gives  one  the  shivers.  The  Athenians,  those  loitty  icags,  the  ingenious 
inventors  of  this  piquant  allegory,  but  rarely  brought  her  out  of  her 
humid  dwelling,  preferring  to  let  her  cool  her  heels  there,  icith  quite 
Hellenic  discourtesy  and  absolute  loant  of  gallantry.  The  Greeks 
were  right,  and  it  is  not  I  who  would  give  her  a  hand  to  help  her  to 
come  up,  as  I  consider  it  very  ill-bred  to  let  people  know  tchat  you 
think  of  them,  and  extremely  disagreeable  to  be  told  the  truth  about 
oneself. 

I  have  quoted,  according  to  circumstances,  all  the  well-known 
yarns — those  inoffensive  old  stereotypes  which  lulled  us  to  sleep  in 
our  infancy  with  their  stately  and,  monotonous  lullaby ;  and,  out  of 
love  for  the  jncturesque,  I  have  respected  the  legend  of  Cleopatra 
stung  by  an  asp,  instead  of  displaying  the  bad  taste  of  stating,  on 
the  authority  of  Baron  Larrey,  of  the  French  Academy,  that  the 
seductive  heroine  put  an  end  to  her  existence  by  means  of  a  bushel 
of  charcoal,  just  like  a  simple  Parisian  grisette. 

Through  an  excess  of  modesty,  lohich  tcill  be  readily  appreciated, 
I  have  rarely  believed  what  I  have  written,  considering  it  most 
reprehensible  to  have  too  much  confidence  in  oneself.  It  icould,  in- 
deed, be  too  great  impertinence  if,  when  passing  our  existence  in 
conjuring  up  the  icildest  illusions,  in  revelling  in  the  most  deceptive 
chimeras,  we  carried  our  simplicity  so  far  as  to  believe  in  those 
illusio)is,  our   ingenuousness  to   the  point  of  giving  a  body  to   those 


TO    THE    KE-U)ER.  XVll 

chimeras,  our  stupidity  to  the  extent  of  becoming  ourselves  dupes  of 
the  artifices  of  our  undisciplined  minds,  and  if  to  cap  all,  ice 
had  the  singularhj  overweening  pretension  of  imposing  our  belief 
en  others. 

I  have  been  rather  lavish  icith  card,  the  spice  of  inodern 
literature,  more  anxious  in  its  Byzantine  refinement  suitably  to 
chisel  out  phrases,  tastefully  to  encrust  carefully  selected  words  upon 
them,  and  to  listen  rapturously  to  the  music  of  an  empty  and.  dis- 
creetly sonorous  prose,  than  to  find  lodging  for  an  idea  in  this 
dazzling  palace  of  verbiage. 

Amongst  other  faults  which  I  possess,  and  ichich  I  will  not 
mention  here,  lulling  myself  with  the  sweet  illusion  that  they  will 
perhaps  escape  the  perspicacity  of  the  reader,  is  that  of  being 
extremely  talkative.  This  is  unfortunately  a  propensity  of  which  1 
have  never  tried  and  never  wished  to  free  myself ;  and  one  which, 
by  long  dwelling  with  me,  tolerated  at  first,  indispensable  afterwards, 
has  ended  by  making  itself  quite  at  home  with  me  for  good,  and  by 
becoming  altogether  part  of  the  household.  I  beg  the  reader  to  show 
for  this  untoward  habit  some  of  the  indulgence  I  have  displayed 
towards  him,  without,  however,  icishing  that  the  ugly  xveed  should 
acclimatise  itself  with  him  as  it  has  done  tcith  me,  where  the 
soil  was  perhaps  more  suitable  for  its  self-cultivation  ! 


COXCEENIXG    THE    ILLUSTEATIONS. 

WJien  expressions  have  failed  me  for    withdrawing   becomingly 

from   the   inextricable   tangle   of  my  ideas,  I  have  had  recourse  to 

drawing:    hence   the    number  of   'pictures   which    bedizen    this  booh, 

and  which  are  deserving  of  just   the   same   amount  of  confidence  as 

the     text,    the   pencil    having     only    accentuated    and  finished    the 

fantastic  vagaries  of  the  pen. 

b 


A  GEEETING  TO  GOOD  OLD  EGYPT,  THE 
GRANDMOTHER  OF  NATIONS. 


/^  EGYPT,  "Gift  of  the  Nile!"  Land  of  Osiris!  TIiou  Laud 
^^  of  Pharaohs  and  fellaheen,  of  the  courbash  and  baksheesh, 
of  the  lotus  and  papyrus,  of  beetles  and  crocodiles,  of  the  Book  of 
the  Dead  and  mausoleums,  of  ophthalmia  and  elephantiasis  I  Sacred 
charnel-house!  Holy  valley  of  everlasting  tears  and  regrets! 
Venerable  Egypt,  who  restest  slumbering  in  thy  innumerable 
mummies,  iu  the  gigantic  void  of  thy  colossal  and  useless  edifices, 
in  the  undecipherable  secret  of  thy  hieroglyphics, — I  salute  thee  ! 

Glory  to  thee  !  mysterious  Ancestress  of  the  world  ;  indefatigable 
Seeker  after  sublime  nonsense ;  questioning  death  to  understand  life  ; 
elaborating,  whilst  meditating  amidst  thy  deserts  during  thousands 
of  centuries,  the  elements  of  the  human  idea ;  a  laborious  parturition 
which  cost  thee  thy  existence,  and  bestowed  on  us  that  superb 
civilisation  of  which  we,  thy  sickly  grand-nephews,  are  dying, 
incapable  of  bearing  the  strength  of  its  powerful  effluvia  ! 


XX  A  GREETING  TO  GOOD  OLD  EGYPT. 

Glory  to  thee  I  mother  of  justice,  kying  down  with  Thoth,  in 
the  hermetic  Looks,  the  bases  of  science,  that  vertiginous  accumu- 
hxtion  of  hypotheses  ;  the  A  B  C  of  wisdom,  that  of  law  and  con- 
ventional civility  in  nations  ;  the  principles  of  justice,  "that  sovereign 
extravagance,  that  generous  imbecility." 

Glory  to  thee  I  generative  mother  of  the  gods,  insane  with  genius, 
whose  i^henomenal  brain  invented  that  mournful  and  picturesque 
fancy  of  the  rite  of  tlie  judgment  of  the  dead  ;  audacious  mystical 
lore,  establishing  at  the  same  time  the  profound  principle  of  palin- 
genesis and  the  unfathomable  stupidity  of  the  human  race  ;  giving 
hirth  to  the  dogma  of  metensomatosis,  and  to  that  monstrous  and 
enormous  jDautheon,  an  insoluble  enigma,  so  irritating  to  the  anxious 
and  unhealthy  curiosity  of  our  declining  century,  feverishly  tracing 
all  back  to  its  origin,  bent  upon  the  impossible  reconstruction  of 
an  uncertain  past. 

Glory  to  thee  !  who,  for  the  greater  jubilation  of  inept  tourists, 
lost  in  amazement  in  the  presence  of  thy  stifF-limbed  idols,  didst  carve 
the  strange  images  of  thy  apocalyptic  divinities  in  the  granite 
and  the  limestone  of  thy  mountains  ;  bestrewing  thy  plains  with  the 
temples  of  Titans,  chiselling  on  their  massive  sides  thy  interminable 
hieroglyphics  ;  erecting  with  perfect  art  and  prodigious  science  thy 
hermetic  obelisks,  thy  fantastic  pyramids,  thy  marvellous  sphinx, 
thy  labyrinth,  that  stupendous  feat  of  thy  architects  ;  digging  out 
of  the  Arabian  and  Libyan  rocks  those  gloomy  recesses,  those 
funereal  hypogeums  with  their  walls  illuminated  like  the  leaves  of  an 
old  missal  of  the  middle  ages  ;  shedding  with  unheard-of  jirofusion 
that  infinite  multitude  of  tiresome  mastabas ;  executing  with  in- 
conceivable sagacity  and  surprising  skill  more  gigantic  works 
than  now,  after  five  thousand  years,  we  take  in  hand  timidly  and 
complete  with  effort  ! 

Glory   to    thee,   illustrious    vanquished  I      For   a   Power    that  is 


A  GREETING  TO  GOOD  OLD  EGYPT.  XXI 

mightier  has  mastered  thee,  thee  the  dread  subduer !  It  has 
destroyed  thy  celestial  menagerie,  strangled  thy  gods,  dispersed  their 
Theraj^entje  I 

May  they  rest  in  peace  in  Amenti,  to  the  Occident,  beyond  the 
lake  of  Osiris ;  thy  sacred  animals,  those  homes  of  the  souls  of 
thy  divinities,  those  hairy,  feathery,  or  scaly  personifications  of 
the  attributes  of  the  primordial  might,  of  the  sole  uncreated  god, 
begetting  and  bringing  forth  himself  in  infinite  space  ! 

Gloria  victis  !  Glory  to  you  !  holy  and  revered  beasts,  habitations 
of  the  gods  ! 

Enviable  cow,  who  concealeth  in  thy  broad  flanks  the  soul  of 
Isis-Athor,  the  gloomy  Venus,  with  the  pale  golden  skin,  the  pure 
oval  face,  the  straight  profile,  the  long  velvety  eyes  ;  ardent  and  in- 
consolable spouse  of  Osiris ;  unknown  and  impenetrable,  mother  and 
substance  of  that  which  is,  mysterious  source  of  all  things  I 

Goose  of  the  Nile,  within  whom  resides  Seb,  the  layer  of  the 
^g%  of  the  world,  the  matter  containing  the  germs  of  life ;  husband 
of  Nout,  father  of  Ea  I 

Scarabfeus,  ornament  of  the  brow ;  lion  with  the  luminous  hide, 
who  art  the  habitation  of  the  cabiric  Phtah,  of  the  demiuro^e,  the 
lord  of  wisdom,  the  light  which  accomjjlishes  all  things  I 

Black  ibis  of  Ethiopia  and  cynocephalus  with  the  azure  rump, 
ye.  the  two  habitations  of  Thoth  Trismegistus,  the  hierogrammatist, 
the  speaking  column,  the  living  verb,  the  guide  of  souls,  showman 
of  the  shades,  prince  of  undertakers  ! 

Serpent  coiled  about  thyself,  who  containest  the  "absolute,"  the 
divine  breath,  and  Knouphis  the  androgynus,  who  himself  fabricates 
the  generative  mother  of  the  gods  I 

Jackal  with  the  sharp  muzzle,  temporary  lodging  of  Anubis, 
latrant,  guardian  of  tombs,  watcher  of  mummies  ! 

Bennou,  with   the   gold   and  crimson  plumage,  friend  of  Osiris, 


Xxii  A   GREETING    TO    GOOD    OLD    EGYPT. 

the  god  of  Abydos,  the  lord  of  Ameuti,  the  uoctiirual  suu,  the  g-ood 
intent,  for  ever  fructifying  Isis  ! 

Lumbering  hippopotamus,  habitation  of  Set,  the  spirit  of  evil,  the 
enemy  of  Osiris  ! 

Sacred  hawk  with  the  lightning  wing,  emblem  of  the  solar 
gods,  of  the  sun  in  his  radiant  course  of  Ra,  erect  amidst  his 
crew  of  Akhimou-Ordou  and  Akhimou-Sekou,  with  a  Hor  at  the 
helm  and  a  Hor  at  the  prow,  in  the  sacred  boat  which  roams, 
enveloped  in  the  coils  of  the  serpent  Mehen,  upon  the  celestial 
Ouer-ness  I 

Great  tawny  vulture,  symbol  of  maternity,  dedicated  to  Mauth, 
the  mother-goddess,  in  whose  womb  was  self-conceived  Ammon-Ra, 
the  bull,  the  generating  principle  above  all,  to  whom  the  ram  and 
the  cerastes  are  consecrated  ! 

Cat  and  lioness  of  Sacht-the-Great,  the  cherished  friend  of  Phtah, 
the  creative  and  dissolving  power,  she  who  purifies  and  she  who 
punishes  ! 

Famous  Apis  of  Memphis,  born  of  a  celestial  ray  !  Mnevis  of 
Heliopolis,  with  the  black  and  bristling  hair  !  Onuphis  of  Her- 
monthis,  the  good  genius  !  Peaceful  and  preposterous  receptacles 
of  divine  incarnations  ! 

Winged  Uraeus,  with  the  venom-swollen  throat,  who  circlest  the 
heads  of  gods  and  kings,  terrible  symbol  of  their  inexorable 
sovereignty  ! 

And  ye  :  lascivious  goat  of  Mendes  !  Wolf  of  Syout !  Ichneumon 
of  Heracleopolis  !  Crocodile  of  the  Arsinoit  nome  I  Owl  of  Saiis  ! 
Falcon  and  shrew  of  Butos  I     Mouse  and  dove  of  Isis  ! 

Ye,  sacred  fishes  :  seal,  eel,  carp,  phallivorous  oxyrinx,  honoured 
throughout  Egypt  ! 

Ye,  garlic  and  onion,  respectable  vegetables,  by  whom  the  people 
swore  ! 


A  GREETING  TO  GOOD  OLD  EGYPT.  XXIU 

Thon,  palm  tree  almost  human,  all  tremulous  with  love,  who 
moanest  at  touch  of  the  knife  I  Acacia,  whose  trunk  secreted 
Osiris  I     Persa?a  of  Isis,  the  guardian  of  hearts  ! 

Your  reign  is  for  ever  at  an  end,  0  fantastic  medley  of  beasts, 
trees,  plants,  vegetables,  incongruous  types  of  a  complicated  theogony  ; 
disjoined  links  of  the  most  admirable  web  of  extravagant  mystifica- 
tions the  human  mind  ever  conceived  I 

Grave  and  solemn  throng  of  priests,  with  shaven  heads  and  eye- 
brows, with  long  garments  made  of  flax,  cease  your  hyssop-scented 
lustrations  ;  your  gods  are  dead  !  the  boat  of  Isis  has  cajjsized  I 

Dreaded  prophets,  bespangled  with  collars  of  gold,  laden  with 
charms,  you  will  never  again  consult  the  entrails  of  the  victims, 
or  study  the  course  of  the  planets,  to  learn  and  jjredict  the 
future  I 

Hierostolites,  you  will  no  longer  deck  the  images  of  the  gods  I 

Learned  Arpedonaptes,  pluck  off  the  plumes  which  adorn  your 
heads ;  the  ink  of  your  canon  is  dried  up,  your  calamus  is  broken  ; 
you  will  no  more  carry  your  sacred  tablets  covered  with  hieroglyphics  ; 
you  will  no  more  indite  your  funereal  rituals  I 

Horoscopists,  cast  away  your  hour-glasses  and  your  palms ;  yon 
will  never  again  draw  conclusions  from  the  movements  of  the  sacred 
beasts  I 

Hieropsaltes,  no  more  will  you  chant  the  hymns  of  the  gods 
and  the  rules  of  life  for  kings,  taught  of  Hermes,  while  accompanying 
yourselves  on  golden  sistra  ! 

Sphragistes,  you  will  no  more  place  your  seal  on  the  victim 
destined  to  the  sacrifice  I 

Pastophores,  guardians  of  the  temples,  you  will  no  more  bear 
the  baris  of  Isis,  or  the  beds,  or  the  utensils  of  assistance  ! 

Melanephores,  the  black  veil  of  Isis  is  rent ;  you  will  place  it 
no  more  on  your  shoulders  I 


Xxiv  A    GREETING    TO    GOOD    OLD    EGYPT. 

Comastes,   you   will   no   more   preside    at    the   banquets   on  fete 

days  ! 

Neophores  and  Zacores,  you  will  no  more  have  to  watch  over 
the  objects  of  worship— there  is  no  more  worship  ! 

Undertakers,  your  ministry  is  useless  ! 

Designator,  thou  wilt  no  longer  mark  on  the  left  side  of  the 
dead  the  piece  of  flesh  that  must  be  removed  ! 

Operator,  thou  wilt  no  longer  use  thy  Ethiopian  stone  to  make 
the  incision  indicated  by  thy  colleague,  and  thou  wilt  no  more  have 
to  fly  amidst  the  curses  of  the  crowd,  pursued  by  the  stones  of  the 
bystanders  ! 

Embalmers,  leave  there  the  natron,  the  palm  wine,  the  cedar 
gum,  the  myrrh,  the  cinnamon,  and  the  perfumes  of  all  sorts  with 
which  you  anoint  the  dead,  the  bandages  you  wind  round  them,  the 
brushes  and  colours  that  serve  to  adorn  their  coffins.  Your  part  is 
played  ;  Anubis  is  no  more.  We  no  longer  make  mummies  ;  we 
render  to  the  eartli  what  belongs  to  the  earth  I 

And  you,  inhabitants  of  both  Egypts,  you  will  eat  no  more 
honey  or  figs  on  the  day  of  the  feast  of  Thoth  ;  you  will  no  longer 
celebrate,  in  the  month  of  Pao-phi,  the  feasts  of  the  pregnancy  of 
Isis  and  of  the  stick  of  the  sun  ;  in  that  of  Athyr,  that  of  the  loss 
of  Osiris ;  at  the  solstice  of  winter,  anniversary  of  the  birth  of 
Harpocrates,  you  will  no  more  give  the  first-fruits  of  your  gardens, 
and  you  will  no  more  lead  a  cow  seven  times  in  succession  round 
the  temple,  in  honour  of  the  search  for  Osiris  ;  in  the  month  of 
Tybi,  in  memory  of  the  return  of  Isis  from  Phenicia,  you  will  no 
longer  ofier  her  cakes,  bearing  the  figure  of  a  hippopotamus  in 
chains,  symbol  of  Typhon  vanquished  by  Isis  and  Horus ;  no  more 
will  you  celebrate,  on  the  first  day  of  Phamenoth,  the  entrance  of 
Osiris  into  the  moon  ;  and,  at  the  Pamylies,  you  will  no  longer 
carry   the   representation   of  the    triple    phallus,   in   honour    of  the 


A  GREETING  TO  GOOD  OLD  EGYPT.  XXV 

delivery  of  Isis  ;  in  Pharmnti  you  will  not  weep  over  bundles  of 
corn  while  invoking  Isis  ;  in  Payni  you  will  not  attend  the  sacrifices 
with  cakes  bearing  the  effigy  of  a  bound  ass,  telling  each  other 
"  not  to  give  food  to  the  ass,"  "  not  to  wear  golden  rings  " ;  on 
the  12th  of  the  same  month,  the  day  of  the  feast  of  the  inunda- 
tion, you  will  no  more  offer  the  Nile  his  magnificently  adorned 
bride ;  the  tear  of  Isis,  the  solitary  droj)  of  dew,  which  purifies 
and  drives  away  all  corruption,  will  not  fall  on  that  night,  or  ever 
again,  for  the  eyes  of  Isis  are  closed  for  evermore  !  No  longer,  on 
the  30th  of  Epiphi,  will  there  be  the  feast  of  the  eyes  of  Horns  ; 
and  no  more,  on  the  last  day  of  the  year,  in  Messori,  will  you 
present  the  first  vegetables  to  Harpamtes  ! 

The  time  for  feasts  is  over !  The  era  of  prolonged  mourning 
commences. 

And  you,  redoubtable  and  resplendent  Pharaohs,  with  the  pschent 
surmounted  by  the  threatening  Urffius,  your  protracted  slumber  has 
been  disturbed;  they  have  uncovered  you,  as  quarrymen  at  times 
disclose  by  a  blow  of  the  pickaxe  some  belated  toad,  who  has 
remained  a  prisoner  lor  a  couple  of  centuries  in  his  cell  of  hard 
stone.     They  have  violated  the  secret  of  your  sepulchres ! 

Your  mounds  of  blocks  of  stone,  the  mystery  of  your  hypogeums, 
the  silence  of  your  hieroglyphs,  have  not  defended  your  royal 
remains  against  the  avidity  of  the  conquerors  of  the  Nile  valley, 
the  disrespectful  and  indiscreet  curiosity  of  learned  Europe.  They 
have  discovered  the  obstructed  or  walled-up  entrances  to  your  last 
dwelling-places,  penetrated  within  your  mortuary  chambers,  raised 
the  heavy  covers  of  your  basalt  or  porphyry  sarcophagi,  burst 
open  your  cedar  or  sycamore  coffins,  four  within  one  another,  torn 
the  masks  from  your  mummies,  plucked  off  their  ornaments ; 
profane  hands  have  untied  the  bandages  which  imprisoned  your 
stifiened  limbs  ! 


XXVI  A  GREETING  TO  GOOD  OLD  EGYPT. 

The  lynx  eyes  of  Egyptologists  have  found  the  key  to  your 
mysterious  hieroglyphs  and  translated  the  long  rolls  of  prayers  of 
your  papyrus ! 

Grave  men  examine  you  with  the  magnifying  glass,  analyse 
parts  of  your  sacred  personalities  ;  they  measure  your  facial  angle, 
the  length  of  your  nasal  organ,  the  form  of  your  skull  ;  they 
discuss  your  authenticity  between  a  pinch  of  snuff  and  a  cigarette; 
they  send  your  mummies  about  in  a  most  irreverential  way  ;  the 
distrustful  custom-house  rummages  in  the  cases  containing  them, 
as  they  pass,  in  fear  lest  the  remains  of  Rameses  or  Sesostris, 
forwarded  carriage  paid,  should  serve  as  a  pretext  for  smuggling 
in  a  quart  of  brandy  or  a  box  of  regalias !  Cook  or  Barnum 
exhibits  you  at  reduced  prices  to  the  snobs  of  Great  Britain,  the 
idlers  of  Paris,  the  Yankees  of  the  Xew  TTorld,  the  idiots  of  all 
countries  !  You  are  simjjly  an  object  of  curiosity  and  commerce ; 
money  is  made  by  retailing  you  to  tourists,  colours  by  subjecting 
your  swaddled-up  limbs  to  chemical  treatment.  And  the  great 
tramplers  of  people  under  foot,  they  who  occupied  so  much  room 
in  the  world,  now  held  within  a  modest  little  zinc  tube,  ticketed 
"  Mummies'  Blacks,"  have  for  sarcophagus  the  colour-box  of  a 
mocking  canvas-dauber,  and  serve  to  sketch  out  some  mad  con- 
ceptions of  the  studio. 

Your  bodies  exhibited  in  the  glass  cases  of  our  museums  serve 
to  astonish  nursemaids  and  Tommy  Atkins  ;  it  is  a  thing,  a 
curio,  a  souvenir  of  Egypt !  People  place  one  of  your  hands,  a 
middle  finger,  or  your  great  toe  on  a  row  of  shelves  between 
a  Chinese  magot  and  a  Japanese  vase! 

You  are  old  furniture,  numbered,  classed,  very  well  catalogued, 
frightfully  messed  about  by  the  descendants  of  those  same  Tamahou 
with  white  skins,  blue  eyes,  our  ancestors,  represented  six  thousand 
years  ago  by  your  scribes  on  the  walls  of  your  palaces,  with  arms 


A    GREETING    TO    GOOD    OLD    EGYPT.  XXVI 

bound;  heads  laid  beneath  the  heel  of  the  Pharaohs,  who  were  the 
great   conciilcators  of  nations.  .  .  .  Sic  transit  gloria  mundi ! 

The  fanatic  Theophilus  has  cast  down  the  tottering  edifice  of 
your  worn-out  Pantheon  :  the  rotten  statue,  full  of  rats,  of  Serapis, 
the  last  incarnation  of  Osiris,  outcome  of  the  supreme  convulsion  of 
your  agonising  worship,  has  been  broken  by  blows  of  the  hatchet 
by  a  legionary  of  Theodosius  ;  its  remains,  set  on  fire,  flamed 
amidst  the  hooting  of  the  Nazarenes,  and  even,  alas !  amidst  the 
bitter  sarcasms  of  its  worshij^pers,  exasperated  at  the  complete 
inability  of  their  god  to  defend  itself! 

Thy  gods  are  dead.  Dolorosa  mater !  Poor  Egypt !  congealed 
in  thy  hieratic  majesty  :  eagles  mute  on  the  shoulders  of  thy 
colossi,  which  are  cracking  ;  vultures  repose  on  the  ruptured  sum- 
mits of  thy  monuments ;  the  screech-owl  lodges  in  the  cornerless 
capitals  of  thy  temples ;  the  jackal  prowls  by  night  among  the 
shattered  columns  of  thy  hyjsostyle  halls  ;  the  hideous  horned  snake 
crawls  beneath  the  ruins  of  thy  fallen  pylons ;  the  colossi  of 
Memnon,  son  of  the  Aurora,  no  more  address  their  hymns  to  the 
rising  sun  ;  thy  masterpieces  are  disappearing  in  crumbs  in  the 
pockets  of  tourists  ;  thy  uprooted  obelisks  are  transplanted  to  all 
the  capitals  of  the  world.  Thy  grand  monuments,  which  marked 
the  stages  of  thy  prodigious  civilisation,  disappear  little  by  little, 
buried  beneath  the  desert  sand — a  moving  winding-sheet,  which 
slowly  spreads  itself  over  thy  past  glories  ! 

I)e  prqfandis  !   Old  Egypt  has  passed  into  the  shadow  of  death. 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  I. 

PAGE 

En  route. — Corsica. — Cook  and  Son's  living  parcels. — Those  rogues  of  note-books. — 
Secret  warfare  between  the  Cookitesand  the  unlabelled.^The  authentic  Baronet. 
— International  confusion. — Where  the  reader  makes  the  acquaintance  of  Jacques 
and  his  friend  Onesime  Coquillard. — A  jivopos  of  frontiers. — The  consequence  of 
having  studied  geography  in  France. — Departure. — What  Jacques,  followed  by 
Onesime,  wished  to  see  in  Egypt. — Onesime. — Gaiety  in  the  forecastle  ;  frightful 
dulness  at  the  stern 1 

CHAPTER   II. 

The  silhouette  of  EeptiUus. — Where  it  is  seen  that  Jacques  has  a  spite  against  the 
Germans  and  a  grain  of  ill-temper  against  the  Italians. — Outburst  of  ultra- 
patriotism  on  his  part,  complicated  by  excessive  socialism. — Exhibition  of 
principles. — Dismay  of  Onesime  ;  his  horror  of  the  cataclysm       .         .        .        .16 

CHAPTER  in. 

The  island  of  Elba. — Monte  Cristo. — Caprera. — Jacques  and  Onesime  conquer  the 
hearts  of  the  sailors  of  the  Said. — Naples. — More  about  the  intimate  and  personal 
emotions  of  the  Cookites. — The  deck  is  invaded. — A  study  of  muscles. — Native 
concerts. — The  stenches  of  Naples. — Italy  sells  her  family  souvenirs.— Stromboli. 
— Charybdis  and  Scylla. — Mount  Etna.— Onesime  becomes  gloomy. — "Us"  at 
the  piano;  prodigious  success. — Friendly  and  saltatory  jollification. — General 
reconciliation  ;  gaiety  everywhere. — Sunset. — Alexandria  ! .31 

CHAPTER   IV. 

General  hustle. — They  land. — Onesime,  a  Count  in  spite  of  himself,  and  Jacques, 
very  much  puzzled,  are  conducted  to  the  hotel.— Double  explanation. — Jacques 
is  convinced  of  the  excellent  quality  of  Nile  water. — They  make  the  acquaintance 
of  Doctor  Alan  Keradec. — Satisfaction,  disappointment,  and  anger  of  Reptilius. 
— Rough  sketch  of  history.  — Jacques  makes  an  error  in  a  page  and  "  Us  "  in  a 
volume. — Two  erudites  fall  out. — Onesime  is  devoured  by  mosquitoes  .        .        .10 

xxix 


XXX  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER   Y 


PAGE 


Onesime's  despair.— A  turn  in  the  city. — The  Consuls'  Square. — Jacques  is  dazzled ; 
Onesime  is  surprised  at  it. — Through  the  Arab  town.^ — The  island  of  Pharos  and 
its  old  lighthouse. — Onesime's  distress. — He  has  had  enough  of  this  steeplechase. 
— Alexandrian  society. — Characters  in  the  streets. — A  few  words  about  ancient 
Alexandria. — The  Faubourg  of  Karmous. — Picturesque  misery. — Pompey's  Pillar. 
— Alan  K^radec  and  Jacques  find  Onesime  at  the  Cafe  Rossini      .         .        .        .61 


CHAPTER   YI. 

The  Grand  Port. — Alan  Keradec  invokes  the  past. — Onesime's  virtuous  indignation. 
— What  he  thinks  of  Cleopatra  and  her  Needles.  —  Nocturnal  run  through 
Alexandria. — A  trip  to  Piamleh. — Onesime  and  his  donkey. — Across  the  fields. — 
The  Mahmoudieh  Canal  promenade. — Its  gardens. — The  canal  banks. — Keradec, 
Jacques,  and  Onesime  take  tickets  for  Cairo 8i 


CHAPTER   YII. 

Desert  sand  in  the  carriage. — Lake  Mareotis. — The  Delta  country. — Kafr-Dawr. — 
Baksheesh. — Damanhour. — Tcl-el-Barout.  —  Kafr-el-Zaiat.  —  Tantah.  —  The  car- 
riage is  invaded. — Onesime's  sufEei-ing  and  regret. — Benha-'l-Assal. — The  travellers 
breathe  a  little. — Touck. — The  Pyramids! — The  Mokattam.— Khalioub. — Cairo. 
— The  arrival. — A  turn  in  the  Esbekieh. — Onesime  imagines  himself  in  Paris. — 
The  crocodile  quarter. — By  the  light  of  the  moon. — Onesime  sulks  with  Osiris. — 
His  tenderness  for  Isis 118 


CHAPTER  Yin. 

Monsieur  de  Lesseps. — Telegraph  and  Gambetta. — Bismarck  is  beaten  by  Monsieur 
de  Lesseps. — In  the  garden  of  Matarieh.- — A  picnic. — The  obelisk  of  Usertesen  I. 
and  the  Virgin's  Tree. — The  battle  of  Heliopolis. — Retrospective  glance  at 
Heliopolis. — Onesime  considers  that  the  ancient  Egyptians  were  madmen  and 
the  Greeks  cracked  with  genius. — He  will  not  admit  that  Greek  civilisation  was 
the  offspring  of  that  of  the  Egyptians.—  He  reproaches  the  learned  with  having 
at  times  too  much  science. — The  Egyptians  invented  powder. — Causes  of  the 
greatness  and  decline  of  the  Egyptians. — The  petrified  forest. — What  Onesime 
thinks  of  hypotheses. — Jacques  a  deicide. — Keradec  pretends  that  if  God  hides 
his  abode  it  is  because  he  desires  to  preserve  his  incognito,  and  that  it  would  be 
wrong  to  seek  to  disturb  him, — Different  hypotheses  upon  the  petrified  forest : 
that  of  One  sime. — A  dash  into  the  desert. — Return  to  Cairo 13/ 


CONTENTS.  XXXI 


CHAPTER   IX. 


On  the  road  to  Ghizeh. — The  Pyramids  in  the  distance. — Escorted  by  the  Arabs.— 
At  the  foot  of  the  Pyramids. — Carried  off  by  the  Bedouins. — Jacques  and 
Onesime  ascend  Khout-the-Brilliant. — On  the  top  of  the  Pyramid. — The  descent. 
— Onesime's  annoyances. — He  meets  old  acquaintances  of  the  Saul. — I/Ura 
imiros. — Keradec"s  opinion  of  the  monuments  of  the  Pharaohs. — Onesime's  horror 
of  the  latter. — Hypotheses  as  to  the  use  and  object  of  the  Pyramids. — What 
history  and  legend  say  of  them. — Onesime's  theories  of  these  regular  stone-faced 
tumuli  and  their  authors. — History  of  Youssoufs  hand. — Digression  on  the 
descendants  of  the  Crusaders. — Her-the-Superior. — Cook  and  Son's  packages. — 
Ur't-the-Great. — The  watchman  of  the  desert. — In  the  shadow  of  the  Sphinx. — 
Trufiaes  and  Clos-Vougeot.— To  the  health  of  Osiris  1— The  Temple  of  the  Sphinx. 
— Through  the  Mastabas.— At  the  hotel 16:> 


CHAPTER   X. 

Onesime  thanks  his  landlord. — How  the  wise  are  asses  and  the  asses  wise. — The 
Mosque  of  Hassan.— Neglect  of  the  Arabs.— The  Mosque  of  Touloun.— The 
legend  of  its  minaret. — Onesime  admires  the  Sultans  and  their  mosques  as  much 
as  he  abhors  the  Pharaohs  and  their  monuments. — His  horror  of  religions  and 
their  ministers. — Oratorical  explosion. — Onesime's  jJoUlce  verso. — There  ! — Poly- 
andry among  the  Arabs. — The  Citadel.— Joseph's  Well. — Ontsime  will  not  visit 
it. — The  Mosque  of  Mahomet  Ali. — Ontsime  sleeps  there  on  his  feet. — Sudden 
awakening.— How  Jacques  saved  his  life. — Sunset 204 


CHAPTER   XI. 

Onesime's  gallantry  almost  gets  him  into  trouble  ;  Hassan  saves  his  equilibrium. — 
Among  the  palms  of  Bedrasheen.— Local  silhouettes.— The  Colossus  of  Eameses  II. 
— A  chaos  of  ruins. — Onesime  steals  away. — Jacques  and  Keradec  go  forward. — 
Sakarah. — A  negro  dance. — Round  the  town.—  Picturesque  scenes. — Dealers  in 
antiquities. — Meeting  a  saint, — In  the  desert. — The  Step  Pyramid.- Onesime 
calls  it  a  mischievous  gossip. — The  ^lastaba  of  El-Pharaoun. — The  tomb  of  Ti. — 
Where  one  sees  that  the  fellah  was  made  for  the  stick,  and  vice  ver-sd. — From 
the  dweller  in  caves  to  him  on  the  Boulevards. — How  we  return  to  the  age  of 
polished  stone. — Digressions  on  Egyptian  art. — Description  of  the  bas-reliefs  of 
the  tomb  of  Ti,  and  what  Onesime  thinks  of  them. — Mariette's  house   .         .        .  231 


XXXii  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER   XII. 

PAGE 

Chawazi  and  Awalin.— Their  exile  to  Esneh.— Memphis.— Who  Menes  was.— Whence 
came  the  Ancient  Egyptians  .'—The  god  Phtah  and  his  temple.— The  bull  Apis 
and  the  honours  rendered  to  him.— Onesime  an  augur. — He  beats  all  the  prophets 
and  disentangles  the  oracles. — His  explanation  of  the  signs  of  the  bull  Apis. — 
A  compromising  moonbeam. — On  sacrifices  and  the  victims. — Effect  of  the  sun. — 
Greatness  and  decline  of  the  city  of  Menes.— Marietta's  discovery. — Jacques  and 
Keradec  explore  the  Serapeum.  — Onesime  reproaches  them  with  troubling  by 
their  noisy  visits  poor  mummies  who  only  want  to  rest  in  peace. — A  breakneck 
gallop  to  Bedrasheen  station 257 


CHAPTER   XIII. 

Keradec  leaves  for  Upper  Egypt. — Jacques  introduces  him,  on  the  steamer,  to  Sir 
Hugh  and  Miss  Madge. — The  Doctor  is  disagreeably  surprised  to  meet  Reptilius 
on  board. — A  trip  to  the  Bazaars. — The  Mouski,  the  Khan-el-Khalil.  the 
Nahassin,  the  Serougieh,  the  Souk-es-SuUah,  El-Ghourieh. — Along  the  Khalig. — 
What  remains  of  El-Asker  and  of  El-Katai'. — The  legend  of  the  Tent  of  Amrou. 
— Near  the  aqueduct, — filthy  feast. — Old  Cairo. — Its  port. — With  the  Howling 
Dervishes. — Their  Mosque. — An  ebony-coloured  maniac,  a  fantastical  Zikr. — In 
the  Coptic  town. — The  Church  of  Sidi  Miriam. — The  Mosque  of  Amrou. — The 
legend  of  Omar        .............  281 


CHAPTER   XIV. 

The  Bazaars  again. — The  way  Onesime  operates. — The  mOristan  of  Kalaoun  and  his 
Mosque. — That  of  Nas'r-Mohammed. — Round  about  the  Mosques. — The  per- 
fumery bazaar. — An  old  quarter. — The  tombs  of  the  Mamelukes. — El-Achraf- 
Ynal. — El-Ghouri. — El-Barkouk. — El-Achraf-Barsebai. — Kait-Bey. — The  Mosque 
of  El-Azhar. — The  Boulak  Avenue. — The  snake  charmer. — The  animal  showman. 
— The  Boulak  Museum. — The  rooms  in  the  Museum. — The  mummies  of  Deir-el- 
Behari.  —Fabulous  antiquity  of  the  Egyptians. — The  Boulak  Port. — The  island 
of  Ghezirch. — The  Ghezireh  drive. — They  leave  for  Upper  Egypt  .        .        .315 


The  Said   leaving  Jlaiseilles 


CHAPTER  I. 

En  route. — Corsica. — Cook  and  Son's  living  parcels. — Those  rogues  of  note-books. 
— Secret  warfare  between  the  Cookites  and  the  unlabelled. — The  authentic 
Baronet. — International  confusion. — Where  the  reader  makes  the  acquaint- 
ance of  Jacques  and  his  friend  Onesime  Coquillard. — A  propos  of  frontiers. — 
The  consequence  of  having  studied  geography  in  France. — Departure. — What 
Jacques,  followed  by  Onesime,  wished  to  see  in  Egypt. — One'sime. — Gaietj-  in 
the  forecastle  ;  frightful  dulness  at  the  stern. 

ON  October  8th,  in  the  year  188-,  at  six  o'clock  at  night,  at  the 
"greeu  hour,"  all  perfumed  with  alcohol,  when,  upon  the 
Cannebiere,  the  Marseillais,  intoxicated  with  his  own  tongue,  tempers 
his  superb  loquacity  with  an  absinthe  cut  with  a  dash  of  anisette — 
at  that  seductive  hour  the  steamer  of  the  Messageries,  the  Sa'i.dy 
put  out  from  the  port  of  the  Joliette. 

Leaving  on  the  left  the  old  port,  the  Pharos,  the  Catalans  ;  on 
the  right  the  islands  of  Ratoneau  and  Pomegue ;  then,  doubling  the 
Chateau  dlf,  she  steamed  close  to  the  sharp  rocks  of  Maire  Island, 
and  continued  her  course  to  the  south-east,  burying  herself  in  the 
twilight,  where  one  caught  a  glimpse  of  half-lost  capes,  islands,  and 
promontories. 

The  dinner-bell  summoned  all  the  passengers.  An  hour  afterwards 
a  few   vague   shadows  wandered  about  the  deck,  where  the  bitter 

1 


THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 


emanations  of  tobacco  mingled  with  tlie  odours  of  the  breeze.  The 
red  tips  of  the  cigars  piercing  the  shadow  of  night  alone  indicated  the 
indistinct  smokers.     These  lights  went  out  one  by  one,  little  by  little, 

and  there  was  silence,  dis- 
'-  J  rurbed  only  by  the  dull, 
ierky  moaning  of  the  machine 
and  the  shrill  calls  of  the 
captain's  whistle. 

The  next  morning  the 
passengers,  with  heavy  eye- 
lids and  wrapped  up  in  their 
vugs,  were  assembled  at  the 
stern,  gaping,  coughing, 
stretching  themselves  out  in 
the  Sim  ;  till,  relaxing  the 
torpid  muscles,  the  contracted 
nerves,  the  warm  effluvia 
appeased  by  degrees  the  sup- 
|n-essed  irritability,  the  pain- 
'ul  twitches  of  refractory 
rheumatism. 

Through  a  slight  vapour 
rising  sluggishly,  slow,  trans- 
parent, and  as  if  with  regret, 
one  perceived  on  the  right  an  uncertain  streak  of  grey.  The  breeze 
rose,  drove  away  the  lazy  fog,  and  all  at  once,  beneath  a  caress  of 
the  sun,  Corsica,  with  its  barren  shores,  appeared — rugged,  vindictive, 
and  iH'oud. 

"  Corsica  I  "  pronounced  a  telescope  ;  and  English,  French,  Ameri- 
cans, Russians,  Germans,  Italians,  Spaniards,  rastaquoucres  of  all 
shades — all  the  various  specimens  of  humanity  grouped  on  the  deck 
gazed  ahead. 

One  heard  a  febrile  rustling  of  pages  :  it  was  the  living  parcels 
forwarded  by  Cook  and  Son  from  various  countries  to  Cairo,  carriage 
jtaid  and  insured  in  case  of  accident,  turning  over  the  leaves  of  their 


The  deck  of  the  SaU. 


THOSE    EOGUES    OF    NOTE-BOOKS.  6 

guide-books  in  search  of  the  descriptive  note,  which,  slightly 
mutilated,  and  enlarged  by  their  personal  impressions,  was  in- 
scribed, after  due  meditation,  and  with  a  thoughtful  air,  in  their 
note-books. 

The  note-books  !  How  many  does  one  find,  especially  in  the 
United  Kingdom,  of  those  famous  note-books  that  have  come  back 
from  Egypt,  placed  treacherously,  with  subtle  art,  with  affected  negli- 
gence, upon  the  most  prominent  piece  of  furniture,  on  the  drawing- 
room  table  between  Shakespeare  and  Longfellow  !  They  are  spread 
out  provokingly,  those  impudent  little  rogues,  under  different  head- 
ings :  "  Souvenirs  of  Egypt "  ;  "A  Trip  to  Cairo  " ;  "  My  Impressions." 


Corsica. 


"  My  Impressions  "  is  the  title  generally  selected  by  those  who  have 
this  ambition  developed. 

Besides  Cook  and  Son's  bundles,  unlabelled  Englishmen  sought 
insidiously  to  widen  the  distance  between  themselves  and  the  former, 
while  these,  like  consummate  strategists,  exerted  themselves  none  the 
less  insidiously  to  diminish  it.  The  struggle  was  silent,  stubborn, 
incessant.  On  both  sides  recourse  wns  had  to  the  cunning  ruses  of  Red 
Indians  ;  on  the  one  hand  to  come  into  contact,  on  the  other  to  avoid 
doing  so. 

An  authentic  Baronet,  who  had  broken  out  of  bounds  of  Parliament, 
cold,  correct,  was  the  radiant  star  round  which  all  these  planets  in 
aberration   gravitated  ;    and  his  perfect  indifference  to  both  parties 


THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 


avenged  the   Cookites,    somewhat,   for   the   disdain   of   the    adverse 
faction. 

From  time  to  time  a  compJex  glitter  shone  like  a  flash  of  light- 
ning, followed  by  a  metallic  rattling  of 
tubes  roughly  torn  from  their  cases,  and 
tall,  bilious-looking  Americans,  handling 
lengthy  telescopes  with  their  long  hands, 
pointed  them  at  the  land  in  view. 

Dark,  full-blooded  Frenchmen,  with 
sun-burnt  skins  and  hair  cut  close  to 
the  skull,  were  chattering  like  magpies, 
stamping  on  the  ground  with  a  debauchery 
of  gesture  which  exasperated  the  tele- 
scopers,  deranging  the  stability  of  their 
instruments. 

A    German    in   "us,"   a    Doctor    Herr 
Reptilius — they    are    all    doctors    in   Ger- 
many, and  all  end  in  "  us  " — consolidated 
subproboscidate    nose 


The  unlabelled  Englishman. 


on    his    bulbous 

his  gold-rimmed  spectacles— they  all 
wear  spectacles  in  Germany — reflected 
profoundly,  and  extracted  from  his 
huge  pocket  an  immense  map,  in  which 
he  buried  himself,  the  studious  portion 
of  "  the  second-hand  colossus  I  " 

Olive-green  Italians,  with  low  fore- 
heads and  loud  voices,  expressed 
regret  through  their  nasal  organs 
that  Corsica  was  French,  Nice  the 
principal  town  of  a  French  department, 
and  Savoy  annexed. 

A  taciturn  Spaniard,  full  of  dignity, 
rolled  a  cigarette  and  digested  his 
chocolate. 

An  exsanguinous  Russian,  retnrniuii: 


The  Frenchman. 


INTERNATIONAL    CONFUSION. 


from    Siberia,    smiled   lauguidly   throngli    the    silky   threads   of  his 
lonof  fair  beard. 

Amidst  all  these  appeared  the  delicate  features  of  pretty  young 

diaphanous      Misses,  ^^^ _^ 

with   fine  heads,  all  '    ^   ^   %,-  '  ^^^^^. 

pink  and  white  like  \'-^  -  J  ^^ 

Yorkshire  hams,  and 
vigorous  appetites; 
they  were  chirping 
and  uttering  little 
cries  like  frightened 
larks,  while  elderly 
ladies,  grave  and 
ugly,  full  of  con- 
centrated respect- 
ability, blew  their 
noses  like  sonorous 
trumpets  beneath 
the  brazen  sky! 

Merry  French- 
women were  con- 
versing with  each 
other    gailv,   talking 

Ok?  O 

very  lightly  of  ex- 
tremely serious 
matters,  beside 
beantiful  Italian 
women,  with  dull 
complexions  and 
harsh  profiles,  who, 
envelojjing  them- 
selves in  the  morb- 
idezza  that  is  essential  to  every  Italian  woman  who  respects 
herself,  spoke  in  a  most  serious  tone  of  matters  that  little  deserved 
it.      A   group    of   sentimental    German   women,   temptingly   plump, 


('    ^ 


Doctor  Reptilius. 


6 


THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 


with  fair  skins,  limpid  eyes  the  colour  of  vergiss-mein-nicht,  in  the 
aureola  of  their  golden  hair,  were  blushingly  murmuring  tenderly 
poetical  nothings,  and  in  such  long  words  that  when  they  reached 
the  end  they  had  forgotten  the  commencement,  those  exemplary 
spouses,  those  incomparable  housewives,  "  without  rivals  for  making 
jam  and  fabricating  children." 

The  island  showed  itself  in  full,  with  its  hard  outlines  slightly 
clouded  by  the  last  remnants  of  the  fog  ;  the  cliflFs  stood  out  clear, 

in  dusty  violet  tones,  in  the  rays  of 
morning.  A  few  fishermen's  boats,  with 
white  sails,  were  resting  at  anchor, 
similar  to  enormous  sea-mews  dozing, 
fatigued,   upon   the    blue    water    of    the 

(^"^t  \\V/     />^  Mediterranean. 

-V^~  r-^l»!!.  I  xP^s~  "  I  say,"  exclaimed  a  young  man  in 

French  to  his  friend,  "  look  at  those 
sun-bathed  shores,  at  that  pretty  bit  of 
ground ! " 

"  Pooh !    Corsica,  a  miserable  place," 
answered  the  other. 

"  A  miserable  place  ?  " 
"  Yes,  a  miserable  place,  where  the 
people  pass  their  existence  in  mutually 
suppressing  each  other,  in  popping  one 
another  off  from  behind  hedges  ;  a  pas- 
time as  amusing  as  it  is  dangerous,  which 
they  call  the  vendetta.  They  indulge  in  this  attractive  sport  in  the 
'  maquis '  with  which  the  country  is  covered — probably  for  that 
purpose.  Bonaparte,  who  was  born  in  this  charming  cut-throat  isle, 
of  which  he  is  the  glory,  excelled  at  this  amusing  game.  Europe 
learnt  it  from  him  at  his  expense  ;  it  cost  her  twenty  years'  warfare 
and  millions  of  men." 

"  And  why  ?  To  be  on  one  side  or  the  other  of  a  river,  of  a 
mountain,  or  of  a  certain  line  of  demarcation,  of  which  the  custom- 
house officers  are  the  landmarks — for  frontiers,  in  fact." 


The  Spaniard. 


A   PHOPOS   OF    FEONTIERS. 

"  Exactly !  " 

"  But  are  frontiers  indispensable  then  ?  " 

"  Probably,  as  they  are  maintained." 

"  Bnt  what  is  the  use  of  them  ?  " 


<^  \ 


"  What  is  the  use  of  them  ? 
Why,  it  is  this  noble,  but 
dangerous  wall  of  national 
life,  that  makes  us  French — 
and  i)roud  of  being  so  !  Sup- 
pose, for  a  moment,  that  you 
were  to  suppress  the  Pyrenees 
— we  would  at  once  be  scraping 
the  guitar  and  dancing  the  fandango  ;  the  Alps — we  would  be  eating 
macaroni  and  speaking  through  the  nose ;  the  Jura— we  would  be 
sounding  the  ranz  des  vaches  through  a  bugle ;  the  Rhine — we  would 
be  stuffing  ourselves  with  sauerkraut  and  sausages  ;  the  Straits  of 
Dover — we  would  be   singing   psalms   and   reading  the  Bible  ;   the 


V 


8  THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 

Belgian  custom-liouse  officers— then  we  would  be  speaking  pigeon 
Frencli  and  drinking  '  faro  ' ! 

"  But  a  biped  who  strums  on  a  guitar  and  disports  himself  in 
a  fandango  ;  swallows  yards  of  macaroni  and  speaks  through  the 
nose ;  bellows  the  ranz  des  vaches  —  and  through  a  horn  too ; 
revels  in  sauerkraut  and  sausages;  chants  canticles  and  reads  the 
Bible  ;   speaks   negro   fashion   and  intoxicates  himself   with   '  faro,' 

you   will   agree   with   me,   is   not  a  Frenchman.      He  may  be  an 

Albino,  a  Caraib,  an  anthropophagus— perhaps  a  rational  animal — 
anything  you  like  except  a  Frenchman.  Therefore,  the  frontiers 
being  our  guarantee  against  the  guitar  and  fandango,  macaroni  and 
nasal  intonation,  the  ranz  des  vaches  and  the  bugle  through  which 
it  is  sounded,  sauerkraut  and  sausages,  psalms  and  the  Bible, 
the  Flemish  language  and  '  faro,'  we  are  indebted  to  them  for 
being  uncontaminated,  and  remaining  what  we  are — that  is  to  say, 
free  from  all  those  exotic  eccentricities,  the  absence  of  which  is  our 
most  beautiful  ornament  and  the  most  appreciable  of  our  qualities. 
You  see  that  one  cannot  do  without  frontiers  if  one  has  the  least 
desire  to  belong  to  one's  country  :  Nemo  potest  exuere  patriamy 

"  Yes  ;  but  apart  from  the  glory  of  being  French  ?  " 

"  There  remains  the  advantage  of  always  having  a  quarrel  on 
one's  hands — in  case  of  need.  Quarrels  are  so  useful— especially 
when  you  are  in  the  wrong." 

"  There  is  no  necessity  to  quarrel  —  when  there  is  no  cause. 
Sublata  causa,  tollitur  effectusf'' 

"  But  the  frontier  itself  is  the  cause — the  permanent,  inevitable, 
fatal  cause  !  Did  you  ever  hear  of  two  landowners,  separated  from 
each  other  by  an  intermediate  wall,  keeping  up  a  good  understanding  ? 
—  Never !  They  always  end  in  going  to  law,  and,  if  they  are 
obstinate,  in  ruining  themselves.  Well,  frontiers  are  the  inter- 
mediate walls  of  nations ;  only  the  dispute  is  settled  by  cannon 
balls ;  but  it  terminates  in  the  same  way  as  the  other  :  people 
become  obstinate,  and  both  sides  are  ruined,  or  nearly  so." 

"But  could  not  these  terrible  frontiers  be  abolished?  -There 
would  be  no  more  fighting  about  them." 


JACQUES    AND    HIS    FEIEND    ONESIME    COQUILLARD.  9 

"  Abolish  them !  Why  yon  are  suggesting  the  destruction  of 
the  entire  human  race,  unhappy  man  !  When  we  no  longer  fight, 
we  shall  cease  killing  each  other,  and  humanity,  in  a  body,  will  die 
of  ennui.^^ 

"  The  nostalgia  of  the  cannon,  eh,  madcap  ?  It's  of  a  driven-in 
paradox  that  you'll  die  !  " 


i;  rSONTllRtl 


The  Fiench  Frontier. 


"And  you  too,  for  having  listened  to  me." 
Then  the  two  friends  walked  away  laughing,  arm-in-arm. 
Jacques,  who  had  spoken  the  first,  was  a  curious  type.  His 
name  was  Jacques — Jacques,  nothing  more.  He  had  seen  the  light 
of  day  on  the  rich  slopes  of  Burgundy,  that  pearl  of  France,  that 
admirable  cellar  which  excites  the  bitter  envy  of  the  grotesque 
tipplers   beyond  the   Rhine — as   if  those   divine  vintages   had  been 


10  THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 

produced  for  their  barbarian  throats.  He  was  au  artist.  One  fine 
day,  without  any  warning,  he  had  closed  his  studio,  phaced  the 
key  under  tbe  door-mat,  writing  in  chalk  on  the  door,  "  On  a  visit 
to  the  sons  of  Osiris,"  and  had  taken  a  ticket  for  Cairo,  just  as  if 
he  had  been  going  to  Asnieres  or  Meudou.  For  since  we  have 
had  a  colonial  empire,  or  rather  a  colonial  republic,  in  France,  with 
a  special  Ministry  and  Minister,  like  the  old  neighbour  on  the  other 
side  of  the  Straits,  we  have  become  prodigiously  daring  in  the  way 
of  travels. 

The  study  of  geography,  which  previously  bad  been  very  much 
neglected,  according  to  what  some  people  say,  has  become  quite 
fashionable  since  1870.  The  Government,  to  credit  these  wicked 
tongues,  animated  by  noble  ardour,  rivalling  Cook,  of  tourist  renown,, 
largely  contributed  to  develop  this  taste.  They  first  of  all  organised^ 
at  the  cost  of  the  State,  cellular  voyages  to  New  Caledonia,  Noumea, 
Pine-tree  Island,  and  the  neighbourhood.  Audaces  fortuna  juvat. 
Emboldened  by  success,  they  rushed  towards  other  shores  ;  they 
wanted  to  do  something  grand !  Glory  trips  were  organised  for 
Tunis,  Madagascar,  Tonkin.  In  this  instance  the  voyage  was  not 
gratis  ;  the  passengers,  selected  by  chance,  paid  with  their  skins, 
and  most  of  them  left  them  there  !  Those  who  returned  brought 
back  bundles  of  laurels — and  fevers  ! 

They  sacrificed  thousands  of  men  and  millions,  said  the  jjusil- 
lanimous  and  chicken-hearted  souls.  The  last  Chinese  adventure  was 
particularly  expensive.  While,  at  Tunis,  the  Bey  could  not  blow 
his  nose  without  permission  of  the  Eepublic  ;  at  Madagascar,  France 
became  the  titulary  dragoman  of  her  Malagassi  Majesty,  who  was 
governed  by  English  Methodists  ;  there  she  abandoned  her  Sakalave 
allies  to  the  Hovas ;  China,  after  an  honourable  and  costly  exchange 
of  hostilities,  undertook  to  entrust  to  French  engineers— ?/2Y  pleased 
her—thQ  task  of  laying  down  a  problematical  network  of  railroads  ; 
in  Tonkin  outlets  were  to  be  opened  to— foreign  -commerce ! 

There  were  colonies — but  no  colonists  to  place  there,  continued 
the  luke-warm  patriots,  with  severe  irony.  There  was  a  gaj).  Nations 
that   had   colonists  and    to   spare  —  and    no    colonies,   filled    it    up. 


CONSEQUENCE    OF    HAVING    STUDIED    GEOGEAPHY   IN    FEANCE.    11 

France  had  again  spent  her  blood  and  gold  for  others,  and  had 
unconsciously  pulled  the  chestnuts  out  of  the  fire,  being  treated  with 
egregious  bad  faith. 

Fortunately,  beside  those  timid  characters,  those  people  devoid 
of  initiative,  of  narrow  views,  restrained  to  au  unproductive  policy, 
there  are  some  wiser  minds,  of  a  wider  breadth  of  view,  imbued 
with  a  more  enlightened  idea  of  patriotism  and  a  more  correct  notion 


nh  I 


zLfj  J  LI  ii 


]ji3i7fi  1 1 


1  he  study  of  geography. 


of  the  mission  of  France.  More  profound  and  sagacious,  farther 
seeing  politicians,  have  perceived  in  this  cleverly  provoked  thirst  to 
expand  the  Republic  a  way  to  give  new  outlets  to  her  commerce, 
and  the  extension  of  French  ideas. 

They  thought  that  the  French  nation,  that  Gallic  race  which  has 
been  described  as  "  so  apt  to  conquer  the  world,  but  so  powerless  to 
keep  it,"  at  least  knew  after  the  conquest  how  to  open  her  purse  to 
assist  in  the  prosperity  of  her  colonies,  instead  of  enriching  herself 


12 


THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 


at  their  expense  and  mercilessly  exhausting  them,  after  the  example 
of  other  nations  that  are  more — colonising. 

Perhaps  these  over-daring  partisans  of  a  colonial  policy  are  only, 
after  all,  simple  visionaries,  dupes  of  exaggerated  jingoism,  magnify- 
ing beyond  measure  their  belief  in  the  destiny  and  importance  of  their 
country !  Perhaps  those  adversaries  whom  they  accuse  of  timidity 
are  merely  prudent  pilots,  anxious  lest  the  fortunes  of  France 
should  be  wrecked  in  a  policy  of  adventure. 

The  future  will  show  us 
whether  the  daring  or  circum- 
spect were  right. 

Jacques,  however,  had 
dared  !  On  the  way  he  had 
met  his  friend  Onesime  Coquil- 
lard. 

"  Where  are  you  going  to  ?  " 
inquired  the  latter. 
"  To  Egypt." 
"  What  for  ?  " 
"  To  see." 

"  See  what  ?     See  whom  ?  " 
"  The  country — the   sons   of 
Osiris." 

"  I'll  go  too  ;  you'll  introduce 
me  ;  we'll  see  together." 

Jacques  and  On&inie.  (yOmC  OU  . 

"  Let  us  be  off !  " 
And  they  had  boldly  set  out,  so  thoroughly  had  the  love  of  travel, 
which    had  seized  hold  on   the   Government,   infiltrated   itself,    like 
healthy  inoculation  fluid,  among  the  masses,  and  driven  them  forth 
to  the  four  quarters  of  the  globe. 

A  painter  of  merit,  a  draughtsman  of  talent,  Jacques  had  wished 
to  see  Egypt  ;  he  wanted  to  bow  to  the  grandmother  of  nations,  to 
interrogate  the  Sphinx,  contemplate  Bonaparte's  forty  centuries  on 
the  summit  of  the  pyramids  ;  see  if  the  Orient  was  a  mvtli  invented 


WHAT    JACQUES    WISHED    TO    SEE    IN    EGYPT.  13 

by  a  facetious  Rajiiu  and  Orientalism  a  snperfetation  ;  whether 
Gerome's  i\.hnehs  and  Bashi-Bazouks  existed  elsewhere  than  on  his 
canvases ;  whether  Regnanlt  and  Fromeutin  had  shown  greater 
imagination  than  they  shonld  have  done  ;  whether  the  so  mnch 
vannted  water  of  the  Nile  deserved  its  reputation  ;  whether  the  stick 
was  made  purposely  for  the  backs  of  the  fellaheen,  as  a  great  patriotic 
statesman  had  affirmed  at  the  French  Tribune.  His  dream  was  to 
bring  a  crocodile  back  with  him,  into  his  studio,  a  real  one,  and 
to  return  with  a  little  sunshine  at  the  end  of  his  brushes. 

Physically  he  was  a  tall,  strong  fellow,  well  built,  supple,  firmly 
set  upon  his  muscular  legs  ;  the  sinews  of  a  hunter  ;  light  reddish 
hair  ;  clear,  penetrating,  grey  eyes,  with  a  bold,  mocking  look  about 
them  ;  the  nose  was  straight,  firm,  finely  modelled  ;  the  mouth  well 
furnished,  revealing  an  expression  of  banter  beneath  a  fawn-coloured 
moustache.  He  had  a  good  appetite  and  the  stomach  of  an  ostrich. 
In  a  word,  he  was  well  armed  to  eno-ao^e  in  the  battle  of  life — and  win 
it.     The  man  was  original,  his  aspect  sympathetic. 

Morally  speaking,  a  giddy  head,  a  warm  heart  ;  a  clever  brain, 
with  a  fair  amount  of  wit  and  a  good  many  ideas  ;  joking  seriously, 
always  astride  on  a  paradox,  with  a  horror  of  fools  and  fleeing  from 
them  as  from  the  pest.  An  able  linguist,  he  was  gifted  with  a 
peculiar  scent  for  discovering  suspicious  and  fantastical  etymologies. 

Onesime  Coquillard,  from  Paris,  his  friend,  in  accompanying  him, 
had  been  actuated  a  little  by  the  want  of  occupation,  a  great  deal  by  a 
desire  to  be  with  him,  in  a  measure  also  by  curiosity,  but  not  at  all 
by  an  inclination  for  travelling. 

Left  an  orphan  at  an  early  age,  a  comfortable  little  income — 
aiirea  mediocritas — permitted  him  to  live  without  working — and 
he  took  advantage  of  his  position  !  As  lazy  as  a  dormouse,  he 
had  buried  himself  in  his  cheese,  like  the  rat  in  the  fable,  purring 
away  with  the  beatitude  of  a  Capucin  the  existence  of  a  porter's  cat. 
Dark,  short,  fat,  dumpy,  bearded,  hairy,  downy,  low  on  the  shanks,  a 
good  fellow,  with  a  beaming  countenance,  happy,  he  rolled  through  life 
tpiite  slowly,  without  jolting.  He  was  very  fond  of  Jacques,  a  friend 
from  childhood,  who  returned  his  affection.     He  was  content  to  see 


14  THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 

others  work ;  the  task  of  looking  on,  the  only  one  that  was  not  antipathic 
to  him,  sufficed.  "  One  cannot  do  everything  at  once,"  he  often  re- 
marked to  his  active  Pylades  ;  "  yon  work,  and  I  am  resting  for  you." 
He  was  witty,  at  times,  when  his  laziness  gave  him  an  opportunity. 
He  handled  irony  rather  skilfully,  lost  his  self-possession  rapidly — on 
the  surface,  and  regained  it  with  even  greater  rapidity.  His  sudden 
displays  of  temper,  factitious  rather  than  real,  broke  out  suddenly 
about  nothing,  and  ended  in  the  same  way.  A  spoilt  child  of  nature, 
he  just  allowed  himself  to  live  quietly,  making  of  wisdom  a  i^leasure, 
not  an  honour;  of  his  idleness  a  virtue,  not  a  vice.  He  detested 
revolutions  by  nature,  loved  liberty  by  egotism,  hated  war  by  instinct, 
but  fought  bravely — out  of  self-respect,  he  said.  He  was  rather 
indifferent  about  religion  ;  but,  if  brought  to  the  subject,  he  thundered 
against  all  religions,  and  scoifed  at  their  ministers. 

Feeling  convinced  that  all  the  great  thoughts  of  man  come  from 
the  stomach,  "  that  sublime  alembic,"  he  had  vowed  consequently  a 
profound,  devoted,  and  scrupulously  rational  worship  to  that  agreeable 
organ.  Gifted  with  a  delicate  sense  of  smell,  a  subtle  taste,  a  very 
respectable  power  of  absorption  and  assimilation,  he  loved  the  table 
and  behaved  very  well  there,  eating  steadily,  drinking  neat,  expanding 
his  good  humour  around  him.  He  was  polite  during  the  first  course, 
gallant  with  the  second,  tender  at  dessert,  enterprising  at  the  cham- 
pagne, daring  afterwards  I  The  aspect  of  a  bottle  of  Clos-Vougeot, 
of  a  famous  year,  of  venerable  age,  affected  him  considerably.  The 
arrival  on  the  table  of  a  truffied  turkey  at  once  paralysed  his  power 
of  speech. 

His  slumbers  were  as  tranquil  as  his  conscience.  He  advanced 
indifferently  towards  the  inevitable  end,  armed  with  his  charming 
egotism,  satisfied  with  himself,  thoughtless  about  others,  finding  that 
everything  was  for  the  best,  in  the  best  of  worlds  possible.  When 
Jacques  laughingly  called  him  a  gasteropode,  On^sime  retaliated  with 
cephalopode  :  they  were  living  and  inseparable  antitheses. 

The  two  friends  had  installed  themselves  foreard,  amidst  a  group 
of  sailors,  where  Jacques  must  have  been  up  to  his  games,  judging  by 
the  noisv  liilaritv  tliat  reigned  around  him. 


DULNESS    AT    THE    STERN. 


15 


But  astern  a  sinister  oinui  weiglied  on  every  one  ;  black,  dull,  somno- 
lent eniiui ;  an  nnhajjpy  product  of  bad,  over-satiated  stomachs,  sick 
livers,  affected  pancreas,  overflowing  bile,  cboked-up  ganglions,  empty 
brains. 

The  hoarse  sighs  of  the  machine,  with  its  dull,  regular,  monotonous 
strokes,  scanned  with  their  merciless  rhythm  the  grotesque  snoring, 
the  strange  gasping,  the  doleful  gaping  of  this  mournful  assembly  of 
undertakers'  men,  with  ossified,  zygomatic  muscles  ;  of  these  unhappy 
victims  of  spleen  I 


=^5^    Fji?fc 


ReptiluTs  on  the  deck. 


CHAPTER  II. 


The  silhouette  of  Eeptilius. — Where  it  is  seen  that  Jacques  has  a  spite  against  the 
Germans  and  a  grain  of  ill-temper  against  the  Italians. — Outburst  of  ultra- 
patriotism  on  his  part,  complicated  by  excessive  socialism. — Exhibition  of 
principles. — Dismay  of  Onesime  ;  his  horror  of  the  cataclysm. 

A  T  tliis  moment  Reptilins  bad  just  left  his  neighbours  the  Italians, 
-^-*-  with  whom  he  bad  launched  out  at  a  gallop  into  a  burning 
discussion,  the  subject  of  which  rolled  upon  the  road  Italy  ought 
to  take  in  crossing  the  Alps  and  penetrating  into  France  in  concert 
with  Germany,  which  would  invade  it  by  the  east.  He  was  advancing* 
fore'ard.  gravely  promenading  his  odd  silhouette  of  a  bird  of  ill-omen  ; 
a  sardonic  smile  wrinkled  his  pallid  face,  while  his  eye  ran  over  the 
map  he  held  in  his  hand  as  he  walked  along.  He  passed  near  the 
group,  absorbed  in  meditation,  and  on  the  overhanging  margin  of 
the  unfolded  map  Jacques  was  able  to  read,  "  The  eastern  frontier  of 
France,  drawn  up  by  Herr  Berghaus  and  Karl  Yogel." 

"  So  they  have  the  eye  always  fixed  on  our  frontiers,  from  which  a 
slice  has  already  been  removed,  watching  a  weak  point  that  will  serve 
to  open  a  new  breach  in  them,"  said  Jacques,  in  a  hollow  tone  of 
voice,  in  which  anger  was  blended  with  a  sort  of  contemptuous  irony  ; 
and  a  flow  of  blood  reddened  his  cheeks,  while  the  bitter  flood  of 
souvenirs  rose  up  and  oppressed  his  throat. 

16 


JACQUES    HAS    A    SriTE    AGAINST    THE    GERMANS. 


17 


'  i7i:k:}(i:i£iiM^!iM/:, 


"  0  blond  and  geographical  Germans  !  "  lie  exclaimed,  in  a  stifled 
and  restrained  voice ;  "  men  of  strong  breath,  all  jjerfumed  with 
healthy  and  homely  smells  of  beer,  tobacco,  sauerkrant,  and  pork ; 
virtuous  Saxons,  whose  oily  pores  exhale  those  penetrating  effluvia 
which  envelop  your  heavy  bodies,  precede  your  presence,  and  announce 
you  from  afar,  fatal  messengers  to  people  with  a  delicate  sense  of 
smell  and  debilitated  stomach  ;  picturesque  myopes  with  unctuous 
hair,  who  confound  in  one  immense  predilection  science  and  beer, 
philosophy  and  sausages  ;  chaste 
and  pure  Germans,  with  square 
heads,  rounded  bellies,  enormous 
loins,  large  feet,  and  phenomenal 
intestines,  which  you  have  twelve 
feet  longer  than  less  privileged 
mortals ;  automatons  disciplined 
with  the  stick  ;  grotesque  calli- 
pyges  of  whom  the  sons  of 
Rabelais  have  rendered  the  name 
of  Prussian  immortal  by  making 
it  synonymous  with  that  part  of 
the  body  which  begins  imme- 
diately where  the  loins  end ; 
kleptomaniacs  of  clocks  ;  indis- 
creet spectacled  serpents,  who 
have  raised  espionage  to  a  virtue  ; 
cumbersome  race  that  has  burst 
spontaneously    into     life,    whose 

prolific  wave  threatens  to  cover  the  world  and  to  destroy  the  superior 
species  that  generate  more  discreetly  ;  practical  people  who  made 
the  war  with  France  a  matter  of  business,  in  the  names  of  '  William, 
Bismarck,  Moltke,  &  Co.,'  which  brought  you  five  milliards  of  francs 
and  two  provinces, — take  your  rest,  honest  brokers,  booted,  sjiurred, 
armed,  helmeted,  paid  bailiff's  men,  sanguinary  usurers  of  the  battle- 
field ;  rest  in  peace  on  your  laurels  and  your  milliards,  rocked  to 
sleep   by  your  heinous    '  Te   Deum,'   and,    satiated   boas,   digest   in 


Cultivating  espionage. 


18 


THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 


tranquillity  your  conquests!  France  is  still  healing  her  wounds, 
and  if  your  black  eagles  have  for  their  motto  the  barbarous  war-cry, 
'  Mio-ht  before  right ! '  our  standards  have,  inscribed  in  their  folds, 
that  immortal  device  of  humanity,  '  Liberty,  Equality,  Fraternity  ' ; 
right  in  its  turn  will  stand  before  might! 

"  And  you,  Italians,  you  the  sister  nation   who  implore  a  smile 
from  Bismarck,  who  looks  upon  you  as  a  quantite  negligeable ;  you  who 


'  Rest  in  peace  on  your  laurels.' 


abandon  France,  who  made  you  free  !  you  who,  with  a  superb  inde- 
pendence of  heart,  cannot  forgive  her  good  services  ;  you  who  shout, 
'  Stop  thief ! '  when  she  hands  you  a  kingdom  in  exchange  for  a  town 
and  a  few  mountains  covered  with  a  handful  of  sweeps  ;  who  grabbed 
Borne  from  her  and  had  an  eye  on  Tunis  when  she  was  gasping 
beneath  the  heel  of  Bismarck, — take  care  that  the  gendarmes  do  not 
arrest  you,  0  illustrious  effete  ;  you,  who  were  Romans,  and  have 
retained  their  formidable  appetite,  without  having  preserved  their 
power  of  digestion. 

"  Have  yon  forgotten  the  record  of  your  august  ancestor,  the  wolf's 


JACQUES   HAS   A   GRAIN    OF   ILL-TEMPER   AGAINST    THE    ITALIANS.    19 

suckling,  whose  ferocity  be  inherited  ?  who,  slaughtering  his  brother, 
robbing  his  neighbours,  violating  their  wives,  implanted  himself, 
sinister  bandit,  in  the  Aveutine  with  his  gang  of  worthless  followers  ? 
"  Ambitious  victims  of  neurosis,  do  not  stir  up  a  past  that  would 
crush  you  ;  trouble  not  a  present  which  disdains  the  prattle  of  a 
people  in  long  clothes,  and  do  not  obstruct  the  future  by  those 
deleterious  dreams  of  universal  domination  which  pollute  your  sick 
brain  and   impede  your  growth  I     Impotent  race,  you  have  lost  the 


Italy  imploring  a  smile  from  Bismarck. 


strength,  forsrotten  the  lans-uag-e  of  the  masters  of  the  world,  vour 
ancestors  ;  you  cannot  and  do  not  know  how  to  say,  Cims  sum 
Romanus  ;  S.P.Q.R.  no  longer  means  for  you  Seriatus  j^opulusque 
Eomani/s.  for  you  they  are  now  only  four  letters  without  meaning  ; 
Url/s  is  no  longer  on  the  seven  hills  :  it  is  everywhere  where  civilisa- 
tion engenders  progress  and  bestows  a  freedom  ;  one  is  no  longer  a 
Roman  citizen,  but  a  citizen  of  the  world  !  Rome  is  dead— dead 
and  buried  like  Marlborough.  You  will  not  resuscitate  it  I  One 
does  not  rise  from  one's  ashes  ;  the  last  Phoenix  has  been  killed  I 
There  are  no  more  Romans  ;  the  species  is  for  ever  destroyed,  and 


20  THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 

nature  does  not  recommence  species ;  there  are  only  Italians,  a 
rudiment  of  people,  a  nation  in  an  embryo  state,  an  old  geogra- 
phical expression  that  has  been  revived.  Lucullus  no  longer  dines 
with  Lucullus,  he  eats  ravioli  \  Tiberius  smokes  halfpenny  cigars  ; 
Vesuvius  smokes  for  tourists  ;  your  old  crumbling  monuments  are 
falling  to  pieces;  your  old  boot,  transformed  into  a  museum  of 
antiquities,  is  worn  out.     You  are  an  old  new  thing  !  " 

And  Jacques  turned  round  to  the  group  of  French  sailors,  who, 
with  the  mobility  peculiar  to  their  nation,  were  delighted  with  this 
ludicrous  outburst  against  Italy,  when  an  instant  previous  their 
fists  had  been  clenching  at  the  thoughts  he  had  evoked  about  their 
own  invaded  country. 

"  You  are  treating  them  nicely,  those  poor  Italians  ;  what  have 
they  done  to  you  ?  "  said  Onesime,  taking  Jacques  by  the  arm  and 
walking  along  the  deck  with  him. 

"  Nothing.     Only  I  feel  hurt  at  their  ingratitude  to  us." 

"  Yes,  but  we  have  in  a  measure  deserved  it,  owing  to  the  inej^t 
policy  of  Napoleon  III.,  who,  to  pay  court  to  Pius  IX.,  who  was 
laughing  at  him,  and  to  keep  his  title  of  eldest  son  of  the  Church, 
so  long  left  Rome  to  the  Pope,  who  hated  us,  instead  of  giving  it 
to  the  Italians,  who  loved  us  ;  he,  in  the  place  of  completing  our 
work  of  independence  and  handing  Italy  her  capital,  which  she  so 
warmly  desired,  thus  ensuring  her  friendship  and  gratitude  for  ever, 
made,  on  the  contrary,  the  service  rendered  weigh  heavily  upon  her, 
affecting  even  to  ignore  that  Italy  also  had  fought  valiantly  beside  us 
for  her  independence  ;  he  wounded  the  dignity  of  the  young  nation 
in  the  person  of  her  King,  whom  the  men  of  the  Tuileries  treated  as  a 
prefect  of  the  Empire." 

"  I  don't  say  nay  ;  but  Italy  should  not  have  held  France,  who 
spilt  her  blood  to  set  her  free,  responsible  for  the  stupidities  of  an 
imbecile  Cassar.  She  might  have  maintained  her  ill-feeling  for  the 
Emperor,  but  should  have  preserved  us  her  friendship  —  and  I 
reproach  the  hare-brained  creature  with  her  silly  pranks  with 
Bismarck  ;  but  I  am  without  anger,  and  cannot  feel  hatred  for  a 
nation  of  our  own  blood." 


OUTBUEST    OF    ULTEA-PATEIOTISM.  21 

"  Qui  bene  amat,  bene  castigat  ;  that  is  the  secret  of  your  bullying 
her  so." 

"  In  a  measure " 

"  A  good  deal." 

"  That's  true.  Now  !  the  peoples  of  the  earth  are  gathering 
together  in  yiew  of  a  supreme  struggle  for  life  ;  and  soon,  disgusted, 
thinking  better  of  her  ridiculous  mania  for  the  great  colossus,  who  is 
making  fun  of  her,  faithful  to  the  instincts  of  her  race,  guided  by  a 
more  lofty  ambition,  the  beautiful  sweetheart  of  the  arts  will  throw 
herself  into  the  arms  of  her  big  sister,  France,  to  form  with  Spain, 
that  other  proud  and  noble  sister,  the  triple  league  of  the  Latin  races 
which  will  break  up  German  unity." 

"  I  shall  illuminate,  that  evening." 

"  And  you  will  do  well  !  But  for  the  day  to  come,  delenda  est 
Germania  !  " 

"  You  hate  them  yery  intensely,  then,  these  Germans  ?  " 

"  Yes,  I  hate  them,  these  paryenus  of  ^^ctory  ;  but  I  shall  never 
hate  them  so  much  as  they  execrate  us.  Their  hatred  has  most 
vivaciously  survived  their  yictory. 

"  We  are,  at  any  rate,  not  capable  of  such  dire  animosity  as  they 
cherish  since  187U  in  the  contemplation  of  their  glory,  crystallised 
in  the  continuous  apotheosis  of  their  triumph  ;  we  are  not  persecuted, 
as  they  are,  by  the  microbe  of  an  intense  rage,  which  has  reached  the 
acute  stage,  and  which  all  the  prophylactic  of  Pasteur  could  not  cure  ; 
and  never  could  a  Frenchwoman  soil  her  heart  and  lips  with  that 
ferocious  wish,  expressed  in  1870  by  a  woman — Germaine,  Countess  of 
Bismarck  :  '  to  see  all  the  Gauls  burnt  or  shot,  all,  even  the  smallest 
children.' 

"  We  cannot,  as  they  can,  slowly  distil,  drop  by  drop,  for  three- 
quarters  of  a  century,  the  venom  of  an  incurable  hatred  refractory  even 
to  satiety ;  and  if  they  were  able  to  strike  us  down,  it  was  thanks  to  that 
handful  of  Protestants  whom  the  revocation  of  the  Edict  of  Nantes 
drove  out  of  France,  and  whose  descendants  now  belong  to  the  staff  of 
those  rapacious  reiters  who  '  have  robbed  us  of  our  way  of  fighting,  as 
they  have  stolen  our  trade-marks '  ;  military  plagiarists  inventing  I 


22  THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 

know  not  wLat  '  Furor  Teutonicus  '  in  opposition  to  our  chevaleresque 
'  Furia  Francese,'  just  as  they  set  their  sour  little  white  wines  of  the 
Rhine  against  our  admirable  brands  of  Champagne.  It  is  also  due  to 
the  gallant  souvenirs  which  the  conquerors  of  Jena  left  amongst  them 
during  the  passage  of  the  great  army,  infusing  into  the  veins  of  these 
cold-blooded  animals  a  little  fervent  Gallic  ardour. 

''  We  know  not  how  to  hate  in  France  ;  we  have  never  known  how. 
We  have  had  sublime  outbursts  of  anger,  which  have  produced  terrible 
revolutions  ;  they  bore  in  their  fecund  flanks  Liberty,  w^hich  freed  the 
world,  struggling  desperately  in  the  grasp  of  the  j)riests  during  that 
atrocious  nightmare  of  the  middle  ages. 

"  But  each  of  those  efforts  exhausted  us  ;  and  when  these  Teutonic 
hordes,  who  had  been  making  ready  for  half  a  century  under  the  canes 
of  their  officers,  swooped  down  upon  France,  like  voracious  vultures, 
eager  for  the  spoil,  they  found  her  weakened  by  those  repeated 
shocks  and  taken  unawares.  After  a  superhuman  effort,  in  an  unequal 
struggle,  handed  over  at  Sedan  by  a  flabby  Cassar,  betrayed  at  Metz 
by  the  infamous  Bazaine,  resisting  Frederick  Charles  with  her  young 
recruits  and  the  remnant  of  her  armies,  France  saved  her  honour,  in 
spite  of  her  chiefs,  in  an  heroic  defence  beneath  the  walls  of  Paris. 

"  At  length,  maimed  in  her  four  limbs  by  her  revolutions,  crushed 
by  the  enemy,  losing  blood  at  all  her  wounds,  she  succumbed  a  martyr 
to  liberty,  mutilated  by  her  implacable  conqueror,  who  amputated 
Alsace  and  Lorraine  from  her,  emptied  her  pockets,  teaching  her  hatred, 
of  which  she  knew  nothing,  and  paralysiag  her  steady  advance  towards 
progress,  by  forcing  her  to  enter  in  her  turn  on  the  path  of  revenge, 
which  will  end  in  a  fatal  duel,  in  which  one  of  the  two  nations  will 
perish  !  " 

"  Amen  !  "  said  On^sime.     "  I  hope  it  will  not  be  France." 

"  France  will  never  succumb.  The  breath  of  liberty  is  in  her,  and 
liberty  does  not  die  !  France,  republican  and  free,  will  kill  monarchical 
and  enslaved  Germany,  just  as  modern  ideas  and  science  have  killed 
ancient  superstition  and  ignorance.  Then  right  will  have  conquered 
might ;  reason,  the  priest  ;  liberty,  kings.  Then  those  immense 
armies,  that  unconscious  and  irresponsible  scourge,  which  expands  like 


OUTBURST    OF    ULTRA-PATEIOTISM.  25 

a  gigantic  cancer  over  the  world  and  gnaws  it  to  its  very  marrow, 
absorbing  tbe  purest  part  of  its  blood — living,  dangerous  parasite  of 
the  fruit  of  her  colossal  labour — will  have  disappeared  for  ever  !  Then 
humanity,  delivered,  will  perhaps  be  able  to  lend  her  ear  to  the  dull 
rustling  stir  of  the  lower  social  strata  ;  she  will  be  able  to  atten- 
tively follow  the  slow  movement,  the  profound,  mysterious  work  of 
transformation  which  is  taking  place  among  those  murmuring  masses, 
bestirring  themselves  in  the  secular  slough  of  eternal  misery  where 
the  merciless  forgetfulness  of  the  rulers  has  left  them.  Already 
at  intervals,  which  are  shorter  and  more  threatening  each  time,  some 
have  risen  to  the  surface,  wan  forerunners  of  famished  multitudes, 
provoked  by  an  accumulation  of  terrible  suffering,  of  despair  without 
a  name,  struggling  livid  in  those  sinister  depths,  in  that  Gehenna, 
hungering  for  air,  liberty,  and  enjoyment  !  And  their  appetites  must 
be  satisfied,  their  sorrows  must  be  assuaged,  their  stigmas  effaced, 
the  sufferers  consoled,  and  a  place  in  the  sunlight  must  be  given  to 
those  despairing  souls,  if  you  do  not  wish  to  disappear  in  a  universal 
panic,  borne  away  by  a  frightful  cataclysm  caused  by  the  explosion  of 
the  exasperated  anger  of  the  lower  orders  in  revolt  ! 

"  Instead  of  stagnating  in  a  secular  routine,  instead  of  fruitlessly 
discussing  old  texts  of  ambiguously  worded  laws,  we  must  cast  ofl"  this 
unhealthy  torpor,  march  resolutely  forward,  burn  the  old  barbarous 
codes,  the  old  antiquated  laws,  take  a  new  line,  and,  guided  by  eternal 
justice,  seek  out  the  evil,  destroy  it,  and  find  the  modern  formula  by 
which  to  the  right  to  live  will  be  added  the  right  and  possibility  of 
enjojing  life.  We  must  rebalance  this  world,  which  has  been  thrown 
out  of  its  equilibrium  by  an  unequal  distribution  of  enjoyment  and 
misery  ;  where  the  unfortunate  die  of  hunger  in  the  face  of  bloated 
millionaires,  who  paper  the  walls  of  their  smoking-rooms  with  bank- 
notes ;  where  children,  who  have  too  rapidly  become  men,  commit 
suicide  ;  where  men,  who  relapse  into  childhood  too  soon,  lose  their 
brain  power.  We  must  put  an  end  to  this  lugubrious  mystification 
which  has  existed  so  long  I  " 

Onesime  was  blue  I  an  indigo  blue  I  He  stood  there  gaping, 
nailed  to  the  deck,  with  haggard  eye,  struck  down  Ijy  the  idea  of  this 


26  THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 

colossal  and  apin-oaching  downfall  which  Jacques  had  jnst  evoked. 
Onesime — the  peaceful  Onesime,  honest  On^sime,  One^sime  Coquillard 
of  Paris,  independent  gentleman,  bachelor,  elector,  taxpayer,  a  friend 
of  order  and  the  Government — felt  a  shudder  of  terror  running  between 
his  epidermis  and  the  fat  coagulated  in  the  flabby  adipose  membranes 
of  his  person.  For  a  moment  he  felt  as  if  suffocating — and  not 
without  cause  ! 

He  had  performed  the  jDart  of  echo  when  Jacques  had  roared 
against  the  Germans,  he  was  a  "  Jingo  "  ;  he  had  echoed  again  when 
Jacques  had  given  Italy  a  dressing,  he  was  of  a  gay  turn  of  mind  ;  he 
had  continued  to  sound  the  echo  when  Jacques  in  a  sentence  had 
anathematised  warfare,  he  hated  it ;  the  social  strata  had  left  him 
indifferent,  although  a  trifle  suspicions  ;  the  appetites — of  others 
— to  be  satisfied,  the  stigmas  to  be  effaced,  the  consolation  to  be 
supplied,  the  place  in  the  sunlight  to  be  given  to  the  despairing,  had 
alarmed  him  ;  but  what  had  routed  him,  brought  him  to  the  earth, 
crushed  him,  scattered  him  in  pieces,  was  the  last  blow,  that  rude 
thrust  at  his  repose,  that  death-stroke  Avith  which  his  income  was 
threatened,  that  was  the  frightful  thunder-clap  of  which  he  seemed  to 
hear  the  distant  rumbling,  and  which  was  to  pulverise  all  I  All ! 
down  to  poor  and  inoffensive  Onesime  Coquillard  of  Paris  inclusively  ! 
That  was  the  cataclysm  at  short  date,  that  incommensurate  calamity 
which  had  been  suddenly  thrust  under  his  nose  ;  and  he  had  quaked 
and  trembled  at  the  prospect  ;  in  the  agony  of  his  despair  he  had 
wept  over  himself— internally,  intonating  in  sobs  the  ile  profimdis 
of  his  misery — always  internally,  for,  with  that  exquisite  and 
rare  modesty  which  is  the  privilege  of  great  souls,  he  concealed,  true 
martyr  that  he  was,  his  extreme  suffering,  just  as  the  timid  violet 
modestly  hides  her  perfumed  petals  beneath  the  grass,  and  without 
faltering  had  drained  the  chalice  to  the  dregs.  Onesime  was  a  man 
— a  man  ! 

He  gradually  recovered  himself,  for  his  strength  of  character  was 
great,  and  while  still  overwhelmed  with  the  anguish  of  his  fright,  he 
poked  out  his  nose  from  his  prostration  and  turned  his  eyes  on  Jacques. 
That  look  was  a  look  of  despair  ;  it  was  a  mute,  eloquent,  profoundly 


onesdie's  hoeeor  of  the  cataclysm.  27 

sad  appeal  to  the  pity  of  him  who,  juggling  with  his  tranquillity  of 
mind,  made  his  liver  turn  pale  and  his  heart  beat  with  his  sinister 
predictions. 

Jacques  had  a  mad  inclination  to  laugh  at  the  sight  of  his  scared 
appearance  ;  he  sought  for  a  moment  to  restrain  himself ;  but  being 
unable  to  resist  any  longer,  he  roared  out  in  the  face  of  the  stupefied 
Onesime. 

"  He's  laughing "  ;  and  Onesime  made  a  calm,  grand,  resigned 
gesture,  expressive  of  the  intensity  of  the  bitterness  that  filled  his 
mind. 

"  But  just  look  at  yourself,"  exclaimed  Jacques  ;  "  you  have  got 
such  an  odd  face,  you  look  so  peculiarly  funny,  that  you  would  do  the 
same  if  you  could  only  see  yourself." 

"  So — peculiarly — funny  !  "  slowly  jmnctuated  Onesime,  and  he 
paused  majestically.  Then  his  long-suj)pressed  indignation  burst  out 
full  of  noble  wrath. 

"  But,  son  of  a  gun  !  what  would  you  have  me  look  like  when 
you  unexpectedly  announce  such  topsy-turvy dom,  such  a  chaos  of 
frightful  things  ?  Set  fire  to  the  Code  !  Trample  on  the  law  !  Dis- 
miss the  gendarmes  !  Sweep  away  all  the  institutions  I  Break  and 
rack  everything  I  Sack  !  Pillage  I  Flay  alive  !  Go  on  gaily  I  Act 
like  madmen  !  And,  when  you  are  quite  tired  of  the  game,  when 
nothing  remains  standing  in  this  abomination  of  desolation,  carefully 
rebalance  this  disequilibrated  world  !  And  then  set  the  galley  sailing 
on  the  ocean  of  ruins  I     That  is  your  programme,  Vandal  I  " 

"  Burgundian,  if  you  please." 

"  Burgundian,  if  you  wish,  but  you  must  surely  have  had  Vandals 
among  your  ancestors  ;  in  fact  they  were  in  a  way  cousins  to  Burgun- 
dians — the  Vandals  !  It's  atavism  that's  playing  you  a  trick  ;  you 
a,re  troubled  with  the  monomania  of  revolution,  the  folly  of  destruction. 
Yes,  your  programme  is  a  very  nice  one  !  With  '  all  to  the  sewer  !  ' 
or  something  similar  for  motto  and  nihil  for  the  password.  And  it  is 
doubtless  you,  modern  Columbus  of  this  world,  revised  and  corrected, 
who  will  hold  the  helm  and  steer  tlie  barque  ?  " 

"  I  will  give  you  the  office  if  you  like." 


28  THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 

"  To  me  !  I  embark  in  that  galley  I  Thanks  I  I  have  not  fomid, 
as  yon  have,  the  formnla  of  happiness  and  the  way  to  make  use  of  it, 
an  easy  prescription  to  follow  in  secret,  and  even  when  travelling — 
shake  the  bottle  before  using  the  contents— for  you've  bottled  it,  your 
social  syrup,  the  universal  panacea.  They  sell  it  at  the  chemists' 
shops,  this  marvellous  elixir — great  quack  !  But  it  is  you  who  are 
the  lugubrious  mystifier  in  all  this,  and  you  horrify  me  with  your 
social  strata,  your  famishing  poor,  yowv  cataclysms,  and  the  sequel  of 
your  future  revolutions.  Schopenhauer  is  mildly  gay  aside  of  you  ! 
And  you  speak  of  this  with  a  light  heart,  as  of  quite  a  natural  thing' 
that  must  happen — one  can  see  that  it  will  cost  you  nothing." 

''  And  you  ?  " 

"  And  my  income — is  that  nothing  ?  It  would  be  I  then  that 
would  dance  the  carmagnole,  engulfed  in  the  furnace." 

"  Yes,  that's  true.     Your  income — I  forgot  that  I  " 

"  It's  easy  enough  for  you  to  say  so,  you,  who  have  your  fortune 
at  the  tips  of  your  fingers  ;  but  how  about  me  ?  " 

"  You,  my  good  Onesime  ?  Well  !  you'd  do  as  I  do,  work.  That 
would  be  a  change  in  your  existence." 

"  Me,  work  I  But  at  what,  saperlipopette  ?  At  what  ?  I  ask  you, 
what  am  I  good  for  ?  I,  who  have  never  in  my  life  made  any  use  of 
my  ten  fingers?  Do  what?  And,  besides,  I  don't  want  to  change 
my  style  of  life  !  The  way  I  live  pleases  me — and  very  much  too  !  I 
have  a  weakness  for  it;  I  don't  want  to  live  in  any  other  way.  I  have 
not  got  St.  Vitus's  dance.  I  am  not  like  you,  who  have  quicksilver  in 
the  veins  ;  who  can't  stay  in  the  same  place  ;  who  come,  go,  think  of 
nothing  but  changing  your  quarters ;  who  are  always  on  the  move  ; 
who  hold  forth  in  all  seasons,  at  every  opportunity,  upon  everything 
and  against  every  one,  against  the  Germans  this  way,  against  the 
Italians  that  way  ;  now  you  are  against  the  whole  world.  Since  you 
have  found  the  bacillus  of  the  social  evil,  your  fixed  idea,  to  cure  this 
poor  humanity  that  doesn't  know  what  to  try  next,  is  to  upset  society 
head  over  heels  ;  you  require  your  little  smash-up  that  was  wanting  ; 
you  must  have  your  tempest,  as  in  the  ancient  heroic  j)oems,  like 
Homer  in  the  Odyssey  and  Virgil  in  the  u^^^neid.     But,  ye  Gods  !  the 


onesime's  horror  of  the  cataclysm.  29 

wind  does  not  blow  with  such  force  there  as  it  does  with  you :  thev 
are  contented  with  stirring  up  the  waves  on  the  surface  ;  you,  you  are 
going  to  shake  them  uj)  from  the  lowest  depths  at  the  risk  of  bringino- 
on  a  deluge." 

"  And  then— what  after  ?  " 

"  "What  after  ?  But  I  don't  know  how  to  swim  !  Goodness 
gracious,  what  a  hurricane  I  It's  enough  to  give  you  nausea  1  It's  no 
longer  a  tempest;  it's  a  water-spout,  a  cyclone,  a  simoom,  simply  some- 
thing terrible  I  And  then,  above  all,  it's  your  cataclysm  that  upsets 
me  !  That  monster  of  a  cataclysm  gives  me  the  shivers  ;  that  fright- 
ful cataclysm  weighs  me  down  ;  it's  a  veritable  sword  of  Damocles, 
suspended  above  my  repose  ;  and  if  the  thread  broke,  good-nio^ht,  mv 
nice  little  income  ;  good-bye,  my  cosy,  comfortable  life,  my  dearly 
beloved  idleness !  The  mere  thought  of  it  makes  my  back  feel  cold. 
Look  here  I  if  you  have  the  least  regard  for  my  person,  if  you  have 
the  least  bit  of  friendship  for  me,  you  will  suppress  the  cataclysm  ; 
you  don't  know  how  the  mere  idea  of  that  sinister  farce  makes  me 
nervous  ;  you  can  do  without  it,  can't  you  ?  It  is  not  indispensable 
to  you  ?  You  only  knew  of  it  recently;  you  have  not  had  time  to  get 
accustomed  to  it  yet.     Suppress  it,  I  beg  of  you.     Do  that  for  me  I  " 

"  All  right  !  I  suppress  the  cataclysm — which  is,  moreover,  very 
hypothetical — as  it  is  so  much  in  your  way,  and  I  will  limit  myself  to 
my  social  strata,"  said  Jacques  laughing.     "  Are  you  satisfied  ?  " 

"  ]\Iore  than  satisfied;  you  save  my  life;  thanks  I  I  breathe  again 
with  a  light  heart.  But  you,  wretched  being,  you  must  have 
swallowed  a  volcano  to  enter  into  spontaneous  eruption  like  that  ! 
You  have  stolen  Vesuvius  or  Stromboli  on  the  way,  and  have 
hidden  it  in  your  stomach  !  You  burst  out  like  that,  all  at  once,  about 
nothing.  One  talks  to  you,  and  bang  !  you  suddenly  begin  to  throw 
out  lava  immediately,  without  a  sign  of  warning  !  Vesuvius  at  least 
foreshadows  his  fits  of  anger  by  some  preliminary  indications  ;  one 
Jias  time  to  get  out  of  the  way.  But  your  crater  is  treacherous,  the 
exjdosion  sudden  ;  you  burst  out  in  a  moment  ex  abrupto,  without 
warning,  like  a  volcano  that  has  been  badly  brought  up.     It's  wrong  I  " 

"  Hold  your  tongue,  or  I'll  introduce  my  cataclysm  again." 


30 


THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 


"  Ob,  no  :  1  beg  of  yon,  don't  do  that.  Slioath  your  cataclysm;  I'll 
hold  my  tongue." 

"  And,  before  accusing  me  of  having  stolen  volcanoes  on  the  way, 
wait  until  we  have  first  of  all  met  with  them.  Can  the  mere  prospect 
of  my  cataclysm  have  already  upset  your  brain  ?  " 

"  Alas  I  the  word  alone  drives  me  crazy  !  " 


Vesuvius. 


CHAPTER   III. 


The  island  of  Elba. — Monte  Cristo. — Caprera. — Jacques  and  Onesime  conquer 
the  hearts  of  the  sailors  of  the  Sa'icl — Naples. — More  about  the  intimate  and 
personal  emotions  of  the  Cookites. — The  deck  is  invaded. — A  study  of  muscles. 
— Native  concerts. — The  stenches  of  Naples. — Italy  sells  her  family  souvenirs. 
—  Stromboli. — Charybdis  and  Scylla. — Mount  Etna. — Onesime  becomes  gloomy. 
— "  Us "'  at  the  piano  :  prodigiou.s  success. — Friendly  and  saltatory  jollification. 
— General  reconciliation  ;   gaiety  everywhere. — Sunset. — Alexandria  ! 

"  rriHE  island  of  Elba  iu  sight,"  exclaimed  a  sailor.  "  The  island 
-L  of  Elba,"  repeated  a  mocking  voice :  "  an  island  where 
generals  of  Corsican  origin  who  make  themselves  emperors  are  de- 
posited on  a  model  farm.  They  pass  their  leisure  in  teaching  such 
of  their  soldiers  as  show  an  aptitude  for  country  life  farming — 
escape  is  easy." 

Passing  by  Monte  Cristo,  Jacques,  who  was  still  a  prey  to  his 
geographical  attack,  insinuated  that  it  had  been  discovered  by 
Alexander  Dumas,  who  had  found  in  a  cavern  there  the  material 
for  a  great  romance,  which  was  as  interesting  as  the  island  itself 
is  the  reverse. 

They  had  reached  the  straits  of  Bonifacio.  A  little  beyond 
the  promontory  of  the  Bear  they  i)erceived  a  white  house,  half-way 
up  the  heights  on  the  island  of  Caprera,  the  house  of  the  hero  of 

31 


32 


THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 


■f 

^ 


Italian    independence,   a    rock    ujwn   which,   according    to    Jacques, 
-,     Garibaldi  had  chosen  to  end  his  legend. 

He  had  conquered  the  hearts  of  the 
sailors,  had  Jacques,  as  had  also  the 
good  Onesime.  If  the  baronet  was  the  star 
of  the  poop,  Jacques  was  the  sun  of  the 
forecastle,  and  Onesime  was  its  moon.  The 
frank  and  communicative  gaiety  of  the  two 
friends  made  them  very  2)opular  with  the 
sailors,  whom  they  were  always  putting  in 
a  good  humour. 

On    the   fir'st   day   Onesime,   under  the 


■'^^5$;^^ 


^?^. 


"  It's  the  men's  plank." 

influence    of    a    maritime    emotion,    as    in- 

^      voluntary  as  it  was  painful  to  his  heart,  had 

liad  the  weakness  in  a  more  than    usually 

violent  attack  to  sigh  after  "  the  cow's  plank."     Here,  "  It's  the  men's 


NAPLES. 


33 


plank ! "  a   sailor   who   happened   to   be   passing   that  way  coarsely 
blurted  out  in  his  face. 

Jacques'  stomach  was  above  every  species  of  emotion  of  that 
sort,  a  quality  that  was  far  from  injuring  him  in  the  estimation 
of  his  rough  audience. 


The  Gulf  of  Nai; 


The  next  day  they  awoke  in  view  of  the  Roman  country  :  a 
naked,  desolate  coast,  here  and  there  ruined  towers,  rare  miserable 
villages ;  facing  the  mouth  of  the  Til)er  and  the  little  port  of 
Fiumicino,  a  luminous  white  spot,  the  cupola  of  St.  Peter  of  Rome, 


34 


THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 


shines  far  out  in  the  couutiy.  The  coast  continues  low  and  sad, 
broken  from  time  to  time  by  the  Albano  and  Velletri  moantaius, 
which  dominate  Mount  Calvi.  They  pass  Porto  d'Anzio,  Nettuuo, 
the  Pontine  Marshes,  the  abrupt  promontory  of  Mount  Circello  — 
and,  suddenly,  there  is  a  complete  change.  It  is  nothing  but 
charming,  coquettish,  wooded  hills,  gently  sloping  towards  the  sea  : 
this  is  the  beautiful  Neapolitan  shore  unrolling,  before  the  en- 
chanted eyes  of  the  travellers,  the  treasures  of  its  rich  and  splendid 


Cook  and  Son's  parcels. 


nature.  They  skirt  the  gulfs  Terracina  and  Gaeta,  the  miniature 
archipelago  of  Palrnarola,  Ponza,  and  Yandolena,  the  island  of 
Procida,  Cape  Miseno,  and,  amidst  a  glorious  sun,  the  vessel  makes 
her  entry  into  the  Gulf  of  Naples.  Leaving  Pozzuoli,  the  Castle 
of  Baia,  the  island  of  Nisida  on  the  right,  she  coasts  by  Posilip^jo, 
and  Naples  appears — radiant  ! 

Capri  I  Ischia !  Adorable  guardians  of  an  admirable  bay,  at 
the  head  of  which,  sparkling  with  light,  sprinkled  with  touches 
of  pink,  blue,  yellow,  green,  drowned  in  an  immense  warm  tone  of 


INTIMATE    AND    PERSONAL    EMOTIONS    OF    THE    COOKITES. 


35 


melted  silver,  a  white  city  rises  up  iu  tiers,  casting  its  clear,  Inminous 
reflection  in  the  azure  of  the  bay  ! 

Indifferent  to  the  dull  growling  of  Vesuvius,  whose  sombre 
silhouette,  crowned  with  its  smoking  plume,  shows  its  profile,  a 
terrible  menace,  beneath  a  leaden  sky,  Xaples  reposes  unconcerned 
at  the  feet  of  her  colossal  neighbour,  a  rough  companion  who,  one 
of  these  days,  will  dash  her  to  pieces  as  he  did  Herculaneum  and 
Pompeii ! 

AVhat  a  lot  of  personal,    intimate  emotions  were  extracted  from 
the  guide-books,  and  were  transferred  compendiously 
to  the  note-books,  on  that  memorable  day,  when  the 
Said  having  triumphantly  doubled  the  last  promontory, 
this  vision,    sublime   in    its    pro- 
digious grandeur,  in  its  exquisite 
grace,  marvellous  in  beauty  and 
charm,  api)eared  before   the  dull 
passengers,    incapable    of 
transmitting  to  the  brain, 
mercilessly    closed    to    a 
perception    of    the    beau- 
tiful, sensations  that  they  could 
not  feel ! 

They  wrote  in  an  unsteady 
hand,  the  better  to  convey  the 
full  strength  of  the  emotion 
experienced.  A  series  of  dots 
indicated  it  incommensurably  ; 
notes  of  exclamation  accentuated 
it,  and  commas  gave  it  a  colouring. 

And  when,  later  on,  they  read  it  for  the  hundredth  time  to  friends 
who  were  fortunate  enough  to  enjoy  the  ineffable  happiness,  they 
introduced  into  their  diction  the  shaky  aspect  of  the  up-strokes,  the 
vigorous  intonations  of  the  notes  of  exclamation,  the  shaded  har- 
monies of  commas  indicated  in  the  text  :  in  the  sonority  of  the 
consonants,  in  the  vigour   of  the   syllables,  thundered  the  anger  of 


Reiiding  his  impressions. 


36 


THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 


the  volcano;  in  the  softness  of  the  vowels  one  canght  sight  of  the 
jileasant  Neaiwlitau  horizons  ;  in  the  countenance  and  expression  of 
the  orator  one  imagined  violent,  but  restrained,  vibrations.  And  when 
his  voice  slowly  died  away  in  a  final  earnest  accent,  it  was  very  rare 
not  to  perceive  a  few  politely  flattering  tears  form  pearls  on  the  eye- 
lashes of  the  audience, 
none  the  less  in  earnest, 
a  satisfaction  expected, 
and  deserved  by  the 
author,  who,  very  much 
affected,  wiped  his  fore- 
head that  was  bathed 
in  perspiration. 

At  two  o'clock  the 
Said  stopped,  almost 
alongside  the  quay.  The 
vessel  had  hardly  been 
secured  in  her  berth, 
when  a  host  of  j^etty 
dealers  invaded  the  deck, 
while  a  flotilla  of  boats, 
painted  all  sorts  of 
colours  and  of  strange 
forms,  swarmed  along 
the  huge  sides  of  the 
steamer.  From  these 
craft  adults  with 
bronzed  bodies,  clothed 
with  a  simple  medal 
suspended  round  their  necks,  elegant  in  form,  with  supple  muscles 
and  boldly  outlined  heads,  rose  erect,  beautiful  as  antique  statues, 
of  which  they  unconsciously  assumed  the  attitudes.  They  dived,  being 
the  most  expert  and  indefatigable  swimmers,  after  small  jneces  of 
money,  which  the  passengers  on  deck  threw  for  them  into  the  sea. 
Disappearing  in  the  blue  waters  beneath  the  vessel's  keel,  they  re- 


Indigenous  music. 


NATIVE  COXCEETS STENCHES  OF  NAPLES. 


37 


appeared  on  the  other  side,  smiling  and  showing  teeth  of  pearly 
whiteness,  like  famished  young  wolves,  exhibiting  in  one  hand  the  coin 
they  had  found  and  begging  again  with  the  other. 

"  Lovely  models,"  said  Jacfpies  ;  "  a  har- 
mony of  muscles  on  which  they  have  forgotten 
to  place  an  encephalon." 

"Well-shaped  idiots,"  corroborated  Onesime. 

From     other     boats     arose     sharp,     nasal 
sounds,   singing    with    accompani- 
ment    of     cracked     guitars     and    -^^ 
screeching  violins.    The  passengers 
were    literally   enveloped  in    har- 
mony ;   it  entered  by  the  nose,  eyes, 
ears,  mouth — everywhere  I 

Unfortunately  the  town  sewers 
were  perceptible  ;  and  to  the  suffering 
of  the  acoustic  nerve,  frightfully 
knocked  about  by  the  native  caco- 
phony, was  joined  the  painful  sense 
of  the  grievously  affected 
olfactory  apparatus. 

In  the  meanwhile  the  chat-J^ 
teriug  hawkers  had  displayed  ^- 
their  curiosities  from  Pompeii 
and  Herculaneum  :  pieces  of  mosaic 
and  a  lamp  from  the  abode  of  the 
Vestal  Virgins  ;  the  marble  umbilicus 
from  a  statue  of  Vitellius  ;  the  skin 
of  Cleopatra's  asp  ;  a  piece  of  the  woodwork  of  the  seat  on  which 
Heliogabalus  received  the  fatal  blow  ;  a  photograph  of  Nero ;  one  of 
Caligula's  horse-shoes  ;  Cicero's  wart.  You  could  see  a  lock  of  Cc^sar's 
hair  there,  the  toothpick  of  Lucullus  ;  the  latch-key  of  Messalina, 
which  enabled  her  to  escape  at  night-time  from  the  Imperial  Palace  and 
visit  the  slums  of  Eome,  from  which  she  returned — 
"  Jam  lassata  viris,  sed  non  satiata ! " 


The  odours  of  Xaples. 


38 


THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 


The  razor  with  which  Cato,  the  Stoic,  opened  his  veins,  was  also 
offered  for  sale. 

All  these  were  guaranteed  authentic  ;  one  could  even  order  an 
antiquity  to  measure  at  choice — and  still  authentic  !  Italy  was  empty- 
ing her  drawers  of  family  souvenirs  ;  she  was  trying  to  realise  a  few 
little  things  to  pay  for  a  monster  cannon  that  was  being  manufactured. 
She  wanted  to  make  a  stir  in  the  world.     Children  are  so  noisy  ! 

In  the  way  of  modern  articles  Vesuvius  and  the  sea  supplied  them 
all,  and  the  inhabitants  of  Torre  del  Greco  brought  their  curiously 
worked  pieces  of  lava  and  their  deftly  carved  coral.     Chaplets  made 


Torre  del  Greco. 


of  myrtle,  olive,  and  box-wood,  with  enormous  beads,  attracted  the 
attention  of  the  pious.  Beside  these,  grotesque  coloured  prints  had  the 
pretension  of  representing  the  venerable  features  of  the  successor  of 
the  Apostles. 

Reptilius  purchased  Messalina's  latch-key  ;  the  young  ladies  rifled 
the  vendors  of  necklaces  ;  the  "parcels"  crammed  their  portmanteaux 
with  Vesuvian  souvenirs  ;  the  horse-shoe  became  the  property  of  a 
superstitious  Englisliman  ;  the  Italians  abstained— and  with  reason. 

A  shrill  whistle  conveyed  the  order  to  clear  the  deck,  and  the 
noisy  crowd  rapidly  made  off,  relieved  of  a  good  part  of  their  second- 


STEOMBOLI CHARYBDIS    AND    SCYLLA. 


39 


liaud  pacotilla  ;  tlie  concert -boats  widened  the  circle,  carrying  along 
with  tliem  their  noisy  harmony,  while  the  Said,  slowly  turning  round, 
set  her  bow  towards  Sorrento. 

They  had  at  last  got  rid  of  the  stenches  of  Najiles,  of  its  lazzaroni, 
of  its  false  antiquities,  of  the  nasal  accentuations  of  that  tongue,  so 
sonorous  because  it  is  so  empty. 

Passing  between  the  promontory  of  Campanella  and  the  island  of 
Capri,  the  vessel  stood  ont  to  sea,  leaving  smoking  Vesuvius  behind 
her,  and  on  her  left  the  deep  gulfs  of  Salerno  and  Amalfi. 

The  shades  of  night  were  falling  when  the  Said  entered  that 
admirable  Tyrrhene  Sea,  dear  to  Homer  and  Virgil.     Continuing  her 


nocturnal  course,  slie  doubled  Cape  Spartivento,  crossed  the  Policastro 
Gulf,  and  jjassed  by  the  Calabrian  Mountains,  and  farther  on  Stromboli, 
that  old  accomplice  of  Vesuvius,  which  on  dark  nights  lights  up  the 
Lipari  Islands  with  its  sinister  glare. 

Once  within  the  Gulf  of  Gioja,  they  passed  Cape  Faro,  leaving 
on  either  side  the  famous  and  inoffensive  rocks  of  Charybdis  and 
Scylla.  At  noon  they  passed  through  the  Straits  of  Messina,  at 
the  moment  of  the  second  breakfast,  and  through  the  open  port-holes 
they  distinctly  perceived  the  wild,  denuded,  and  sunny  coast  of 
Calabria,  where  the  train  from  Reggio  follows  the  coast-line,  and 
the  shore  of  luxuriant  Sicily,  extending  on  the  right,  with  its  rich 
vegetation,  its   picturesque  mountains,  dominated  by  colossal  Etna, 


40 


THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 


with  its  snowy  peaks,  its  sides  striped  by  its  streams  of  black  and 
red  lava,  descending  as  far  as  the  vineyards  which  cover  its  base  to 
the  sea,  where  slender  Maltese  speronari,  with  only  one  mast,  glide 
by  on  the  surface  of  the  water. 

When  Cape  Spartivento  was  rounded,  they  passed  into  the  Ionian 
Sea,  and  this  time  the  steamer's  head  was  set  direct  for  Alexandria. 

The  sea  was  hopelessly  beautiful,  the  sky 
hopelessly  lovely  ;  hours  succeeded  hours. 
The  passengers,  momentarily  galvanised  by 
the  meal-bell,  returned  immediately  after- 
wards to  their  torpor  of  lizards,  their  im- 
mobility of  fossils  petrified  in  thick  layers 
of  boredom. 

Jacques  thought  the  sea  very  beautiful, 
but  also  very  blue.  Onesime  had  been 
sulking  in  a  corner  since  they  had  lost 
sight  of  land ;  he  felt  something  like  a 
commencement  of  nostalgia,  he  regretted 
his  cheese  !  He  was  wondering  how  much 
longer  they  were  going*  to  navigate  that 
basin  of  blue  water,  beneath  that  blue  sky 
and  invariably  lovely  sun,  in  the  company 
of  that  band  of  coagulated  dozers  on 
deck.  His  round,  hirsute  little  j^erson  was 
bristling  all  over  ;  he  was  quietly  changing 
into  a  porcupine. 

A  few  gusts  of  mad  notes,  a  few  measures  of  a  quadrille  they 
were  playing  in  the  saloon,  snatched  him  from  his  melancholy 
thoughts  and  his  corner ;  he  directed  his  steps  towards  the  performer, 
a  Frenchman,  who  was  endeavouring  to  stir  the  venerable  chords  of 
the  vessel's  Pleyel,  which  by  a  miracle  was  in  good  condition. 

This  unusual  sound  acted  as  an  antidote  to  the  general  discomfort. 
A  slight  rustle  of  gowns  indicated  that  the  feminine  element  was 
showing  signs  of  life ;  a  few  inquisitive  heads  appeared  at  the  open 
windows  ;  some  daring  ones  had  the  audacity  to  enter. 


Onesime  has  the  spleen. 


us        AT    THE    PIANO. 


41 


Reptilius  bad  been  one  of  tbe  first  to  dasb  in  tbere.  He  had 
walked,  or  ratber  fallen,  into  tbe  saloon  like  a  bomb.  As  soon  as 
tbe  music-stool  was  free,  be  bounded  on  to  it  and  screwed  himself 
down  there,  fatiguing  the  instrument  beneath  a  febrile, 
rapid,  masterly  touch. 

Seen     from     behind,    be     resembled    a 
gigantic   coleopteron  :   bis    enormous    round 
back  was    shining   in    shades    of  black, 
glossy,   worn    at   tbe    shoulders,   of   his 
garment ;   the  long  skirts   of  bis  frock- 
coat,     bis    i^ockets     swelled    with 
books  and  rolls  of  papers,  beat  a 
wild  saraband  on  his   immense 
feet,  which   crushed  tbe  tremb- 
ling pedals.     At  times  his  head 
all  at  once  disappeared  between 
his  two  shoulders,  and  the 
nose,  coming  to  the  assist- 
ance  of  the    busy  fingers, 
struck  a  difficult  note.    The 
rapidity  of  his  movements 
seemed    to     multiply    his 
arms,     giving     them     the 
appearance     of    monstrous 
moving    antennae  ;    one 
would  have  said  it  Avas  an 
enormous    cockchafer,   af-  ^ 
fected     with     melomania, 
improvising. 

"  Us  "  was  a  capital  virtuoso  ; 
the  effect  was  anexpected,  the 
success  prodigious,  mingled  with  a  little  anxiety  on  the  i)art  of  tbe 
young  misses,  rather  frightened  at  first  at  tbe  strange  contortions  of  this 
musical  beetle,  and  on  tbe  male  side  by  a  little  stifled  laughter  excited 
by  tbe  performer's  peculiar  movements.     He  met,  nevertheless,  with 


Us '    at  the  i  ianu. 


49, 


THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 


■^''/ 


complete  success.  "  Us  "  could  legitimately  enjoy  bis  triumph.  His 
I)ale  lips,  with  white  commissures,  trembled  iu  his  wrinkled  face  ; 
bis  eyes  sparkled  behind  the  blue  glasses  of  his  gold-rimmed 
spectacles  ;  his  rare  grey  locks  at  the  nape  of  the  neck  fluttered;  his 
scarlet  nasal  bulb,  bruised  by  contact  with  the  keys  of  the  piano, 
seemed  to  emit  sheaves  of  sparks;  while  a  warm  vapour  of  perspiration, 
produced  by   this   gymnastic   exercise   of  the   muscles,   this   violent 

excitement  of  the  nerves,  escaped  from 
.    I      '       his  whole  person,  enveloping  him  in  a 
cloud  which  hid  him  from  the  profane. 
All    of  a    sudden,   during   a   waltz 
briskly    engaged   in    by   the    Doctor, 
Onesime,  who  for  some  time  j^revious, 
with  sparkling  eyes,  beating  time  with 
his    head    and    imitating    the 
barytone  in  a  low  voice,  had 
felt  a  terrible  itching  in   his 
legs,     seized      upon     an     old 
sj^iuster — who,   while   offering 
some  outward  show  of  resist- 
ance, at  the  same  time  clung 
to  him  with  all  her  might — 
and    impetuously   dashed    off 
with  her. 

Then  it  was  as  if  a  dis- 
charge of  electricity  had  com- 
municated its  shock  to  all 
the  com2)any.  Couples  were 
formed  ;  started,  they  spun  round  and  round,  engulfed  in  this  mael- 
strom of  human  waves,  the  wliirling  evolutions  of  which  were  scanned 
by  the  bewildered  "  Us  "  with  a  frenzy  that  increased  as  he  proceeded. 
Vires  acquirit  eitndo  ! 

Little  by  little  this  moving  chain  stopped,  as  its  detached  links 
sank  panting  on  tlie  divans.  Then  there  was  a  noise  like  a  hasty 
flapping  of  wings,  jjroduced  by  nervously  handled  fans  ;  one  heard 


Onesiuie  and  Jliss  PiisciJla. 


GENEEAL    KECONCILIATION — GAIETY    EVEEY^'HEEE.  43 

the  hoarse  sound  of  breathless  respiration  ;  multi-coloured  hand- 
kerchiefs wiped  foreheads  bathed  in  perspiration ;  a  muggish  human 
smell,  mingled  with  the  odour  of  more  subtle  perfumes,  escaped 
by  the  oj)en  portholes,  while  the  terrible  Doctor  continued,  continued 
playing  still  I 

This  musical  tide,  which  had  borne  along  in  its  furious  course  all 
these  different  elements,  all  these  antagonistic  molecules,  had  left 
them,  on  retiring,  strangely  grouped. 

Onesime,  while  mopping  himself  at  one  of  the  ports,  had  commenced 
an  idyl  with  his  dancer,  Miss  Priscilla,  who  gave  herself  precious  airs, 
contented  that  the  brick-coloured  red  tint  which  the  excitement  of 
dancing  had  brought  to  the  slightly  tanned  leather  of  her  cheeks 
should  be  mistaken  for  respectable  modesty  on  the  alert. 

Cook  and  Son's  parcels  were  mixed  up  with  the  unlabelled  English 
people  without  the  latter  making  any  effort  to  get  away  ;  they  even 
exchanged  smiles,  and  more  than  that,  they  conversed  affably  together. 

The  baronet,  who  had  left  his  cloud  in  the  cloak-room,  was  talking 
to  Jacques,  who  had  just  conducted  Miss  Madge,  his  daughter,  to 
her  seat. 

Italians  and  Frenchmen  offered  each  other  cigars  and  took 
refreshments  at  the  same  bar. 

The  Spaniard  chuckled  inwardly  and  went  in  search  of  his  guitar. 

Jonathan,  in  his  delight  and  in  his  mania  for  whittling  wood,  had 
ended  by  cutting  away  the  legs  of  his  chair — which  was  breaking 
beneath  him. 

The  Russian  shook  off  his  last  icicles. 

The  ice  was  broken  everywhere  ;  all  the  rancour,  all  the  anti- 
pathies, melted  in  this  salubrious  thaw. 

In  the  evening  they  dined  with  peculiar  gaiety  and  glee.  The 
shock  had  mingled  all  these  heterogeneous  genera  together  to  form 
one  unique  species,  well  determined  not  to  lose  an  opportunity  for 
amusement ;  a  little  music,  a  small  hop,  had  performed  this  miracle, 
by  rounding  off  the  angles. 

The  days  following  comprised  an  uninterrupted  series  of  pleasant 
moments.     Onesime   forgot    his   cheese,  Jacques  showed  a  tendency 


41  THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 

to  draw  near  to  Sir  Hugh  Templeton,  the  baronet,  especially  when 
Miss  Madge  was  beside  him  ;  concessions  on  all  sides  rained  as  thick 
as  hailstones;  the  "  nnlabelled "  diffused  tepid  confidences  into  the 
bosoms  of  the  Cookites,  half  confessing  that  an  excess  of  vanity  had 
largely  contributed  towards  making  them  turn  aside  from  the  seductive 
advantages  offered  by  Cook  and  Son  ;  and  the  Cookites,  gently  flattered 
by  this  confession,  regretted  that  their  purses  had  not  been  equal 
to  their  desire,  so  as  to  enable  them  to  travel  in  as  noble  and 
independent  a  way  as  the  others.  The  baronet  behaved  as  a  simple 
mortal  with  Jacques,  who,  in  Miss  Madge's  company,  learned  to 
correct  his  imperfect  English  pronunciation.  The  Spaniard,  who  had 
ended  by  finding  his  guitar,  put  all  his  gaiety  into  music.  Jonathan, 
in  quest  of  a  new  chair  to  annihilate,  extended  his  limbs  in  a  silent 
laugh.  Italy  smiled  at  France,  and  the  latter,  while  pouting  at 
Germany,  behaved  fairly  decently  towards  her  sole  re2)resentative  on 
board. 

The  Sa'id  had  left  Candia  far  on  the  left  ;  another  day  and  they 
would  be  in  sight  of  Alexandria. 

One  felt  the  East  in  the  splendid  warm  tones  of  the  sunsets,  where 
the  purple  clouds,  striated  with  gold,  wav^ed  to  and  fro,  marvellous 
in  colour,  beneath  the  immense  canopy  of  heaven,  the  green  of  which 
merged  at  the  zenith  into  infinite  dark  blue. 

Jacques  stood  for  hours  leaning  on  his  elbows,  silent,  in  profound 
enjoyment  of  these  grand  views  ;  and  when  the  enormous  blood-like 
disc,  descending  slowly  to  the  horizon,  at  last  sank  with  a  final  beam 
in  the  mighty  amplitude  of  its  glory,  he  still  remained  there  watching 
the  shades  of  night  advance  from  afar,  lost  in  his  rambling  thoughts. 

Onesime  was  astonished  at  this  profound,  mute,  contemplative, 
almost  painful  admiration,  he  who  expressed  it  loquaciously,  diffusely, 
epidermidally. 

On  October  10th,  at  noon,  they  sighted  land.  The  commotion  was 
general.  Attention  was  eagerly  concentrated  on  the  coast  in  view, 
which  at  every  instant  became  more  distinct. 

A  long,  low,  grey  line  of  alluvial  earth  just  emerges  out  of  the  sea  : 
in  the  centre  is  the  twinkling  glass  dome  of  the  Viceroy's  palace  ^ 


ALEXANDEIA. 


45 


farther  oa  Pompey's  Pillar  shoots  up  isolated,  high,  dark,  dominating 
a  few  slender  minarets  that  rise  above  pink,  white,  dusty-looking 
houses  ;  a  few  scanty  palm  trees,  numerous  windmills  ;  to  the  east 
Ramleh,  lost  in  a  few  tufts  of  green  ;  and  in  the  background,  to  the 
west,  a  great  even  white  line — the  Libyan  desert.  It  is  Alexandria, 
it  is  the  decayed  city  of  the  Ptolemies. 

A  boat  comes  alongside,  a  pilot  climbs  on  board.  A  few  more 
turns  of  the  screw,  and  the  Said,  passing  through  the  difficult  channels 
at  the  entrance  to  the  port,  casts  her  anchor  in  the  midst  of  a  swarm 
of  boats  that  immediately  surround  her,  and  whose  strange  crews, 
prattling  and  noisy,  swarm  over  tlie  deck  like  a  cloud  of  locusts. 


The  port  of  Alexandria. 


CHAPTER   IV. 


General  hustle. — They  land. — Onesime,  a  Count  in  spite  of  himself,  and  Jacques, 
very  much  puzzled,  are  conducted  to  the  hotel.  —  Double  explanation.^ — 
Jacques  is  convinced  of  the  excellent  quality  of  Nile  water. — They  make 
the  acquaintance  of  Doctor  Alan  Keradec. — Satisfaction,  disappointment, 
and  anger  of  Eeptilius.  —  Rough  sketch  of  history.  —  Jacques  makes  an 
error  in  a  page  and  "  Us  "  in  a  volume. — Two  erudites  fall  out. — Onesime 
is  devoured  by  mosquitoes. 

AMIDST  a  most  frightful  uproar  the  motley  crowd  invade  the 
deck.  As  nimble  as  monkej's,  they  appear  on  all  sides, 
penetrate  by  the  portholes,  disappear  down  the  hatchways,  ascend  the 
rigging,  climbing  over  one  another,  crushing  the  passengers,  laughing, 
yelling,  vociferating,  gesticulating,  catching  hold  of  everything  that 
comes  within  their  reach.     It  is  a  general  hustle  ! 

The  deck  is  in  frightfnl  confusion  ;  the  noise,  the  agitation,  the 
guttural  cries,  the  variety  of  strange  costumes,  of  crude  colours, 
the  infinite  diversity  of  types,  quite  dazzle  the  astounded  travellers. 

Jacques,  seated  on  his  luggage,  stoutly  defends  it  against  the 
attack  of  a  great  devil  of  a  negro  who  insists  on  removing  it.  As 
an  artist  he  admires  the  energetic  and  bestial  head,  with  dull  ebony 
shades,  beneath  a  red  cap  with  a  blue  tuft ;  the  form  of  an  athlete, 
with  muscles  jutting   out   from   beneath  the  white   gandourah   that 

46 


ONESIME    A    COUNT    IN    SPITE    OF    HIMSELF.  47 

covers  tliem  ;  but  as  a  prudent  traveller  lie  fears  that  the  safety 
of  his  trunks  ■would  be  very  much  compromised  in  such  liands. 

At  this  moment  Onesime,  who  had  disappeared,  returns,  flanked 
by  a  magnificent  blue  Kawas,  the  scimitar  at  his  side,  who  bows 
to  Jacques  and  has  the  luggage  removed,  himself  carrying  the  port- 
manteaux. He  shows  the  greatest  respect  to  Onesime,  whom  he 
calls  Monsieur  le  Comte  ;  and  he  installs  the  two  friends  on  crimson 
velvet  seats,  in  the  stern  of  a  superb  galley  carrying  the  French 
flag,  covered  with  a  red  and  white  awning,  and  which,  vigorously 
propelled  by  six  oars,  proceeds  rapidly  towards  the  custom-house. 

On  the  way  they  cross  a  correct-looking  craft  flying  the  British 
flag,  and  recognise  Sir  Hugh  and  Miss  Madge,  with  whom  they 
exchange  bows.  The  boat  comes  alongside  the  quay  ;  two  sturdy 
fellows  in  yellow  gowns  remove  the  luggage,  while  the  blue  Kawas 
caresses  with  his  courbash  the  backs  of  some  rather  too  inquisitive 
urchins,  bawling  themselves  hoarse  with  repeated  demands  for  bak- 
sheesh. At  a  word  which  he  utters  as  he  passes  by  the  custom- 
house, officers  raise  the  hand  to  the  tarboush,  and,  without  examining 
the  trunks,  hasten  to  open  the  gates. 

Onesime,  sedate  and  sardonic,  Jacques,  very  much  perplexed, 
pass  through  the  stirring  crowd  of  clerks,  jjorters,  beggars,  in  the 
midst  of  trunks  caved-in,  turned  topsy-turvy,  by  the  ruthless  hands 
of  the  custom-house  officers,  and  depart  under  the  eyes  of  such  of 
their  unfortunate  fellow-passengers  of  the  Said  as  had  preceded 
them.  At  the  gate  their  amiable  guide  calls  a  private  carriage 
that  is  waiting,  and  they  seat  themselves  in  it  amidst  deafening 
cries,  in  which  the  word  •'  baksheesh,"  yelled  by  sonorous  voices, 
predominates. 

The  man  with  the  scimitar,  erect  at  the  door,  inquires  if  Monsieur 
le  Comte  still  intends  putting  up  at  the  Hotel  d'Europe,  and,  on 
an  affirmative  sign  from  Onesime,  installs  himself  beside  the  coach- 
man ;  the  lash  curls  round  the  horses,  two  superb  thoroughbreds, 
which  start  ofi"  at  a  smart  trot,  and  the  two  friends,  embedded  in 
the  soft  cushions,  make  their  entry  into  the  city. 

During  their  rapid  drive  they  barely  have  time  to  cast  a  glance 


48  THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 

at  tlie  narrow  streets  throngli  Iwhicli  they  pass,  aud  which  are  en- 
cumbered by  an  active  popnhition  of  diverse  races  in  bright  costumes 
that  shine  in  the  sun.  Onesime  does  not  breathe  a  word,  but  smiles 
from  time  to  time  in  his  thick  black  beard  in  answer  to  Jacques' 
mute  interrogations  and  bewildered  air. 

A  moment  later  they  passed  before  the  Mosque  of  Sheikh  Ibrahim, 
and,  turning  to  the  left  in  Anastasy  Street,  came  out  on  the  Place 
des  Consuls,  where  the  coachman  put  them  down  at  the  Hotel 
d'Europe. 

The  serviceable  Kawas  rushed  to  the  door,  which  he  opened,  and, 
preceding  the  travellers,  led  them  into  the  vast  hall  of  the  hotel ; 
then  he  approached  Ondsime  smiling,  and  placed  his  hand  on  a  level 
with  his  tarboush,  a  quite  discreet  way  of  saying  baksheesh  without 
opening  the  mouth.  Onesime  understood,  and  the  worthy  personage 
withdrew  satisfied. 

The  two  friends  chose  their  apartments,  and  then  went  down  to 
the  drawing-room,  where  Onesime  burst  into  a  wild  roar  of  laughter 
in  Jacques'  face,  who,  finally  joining  in  this  contagious  hilarity,  also 
burst  out  laughing. 

"  Look  here,  Monsieur  le  Comte,"  Jacques  began,  "  would  you 
kindly  ex])lain  to  me  the  mystery  of " 

"Of  all  this,  eh?"  interrupted  Onesime. 

"  Yes  ;  for  I  understand  absolutely  nothing." 

"  Neither  do  I  ;  and  the  more  I  seek  to  fathom  it,  the  less  I 
understand." 

"  Explain  yourself." 

"  I  will  endeavour  to  do  so.  You  remember  that  I  left  you  for 
an  instant  on  deck,  during  the  confusion  on  our  arrival,  to  fetch  my 
bag  downstairs  ?  " 

"  Yes.     And  then  ?  " 

"  Well,  while  returning,  I  knock  up  against  our  blue  bird  of  a 
Kawas,  who  bows  to  me  very  low,  and  whose  bow  I  return,  but  a  little 
less  lowly,  however.  '  Monsieur  le  Comte,'  he  says  to  me,  in  that 
frightful  jargon  which  is  termed  lingua,  franca,  and  the  vocabulary 
of  which  has  been  borrowed,  in  a  measure,  from  all  known  languages, 


ONESIME    EXPLAINS. 


49 


dead  and  living,  '  I  was  seeking  for  your  Lordship.'  I  look  at  liiiu 
angrily,  thinking  that  h'e  is  making  fun  of  me.  Not  in  the  least  ! 
And  he  adds  very  seriously  :  '  Your  boat  is  waiting  for  you,  Monsieur 
le  Comte  ;  if  your  Grace  will  show  me  where  your  luggage  is,  I  will 
have  it  landed ' ;  and  he  seeks  to  relieve  me  of  my  bag,  with  which  I 


refuse  to  part.  I  reply  to  him  that 
I  am  neither  Count  nor  Lordship, 
nor  anything  approaching  it  ;  that 
I  am  simply  Onesime  Coquillard,  of 
Paris,  independent  gentleman  and 
a  bachelor :  that  no  boat  is  waiting 
for  me  ;  that  I  am  even  looking  out  for  one  at  that  moment  ;  and, 
I  add,  endeavouring  to  get  away,  that  he  must  certainly  be  in 
error.  '  I  see  that  your  Highness  wishes  to  remain  incognito,'  he 
says  with  a  sly  smile,  '  but  I  have  my  orders.'  And  he  insists 
more  than  ever  ;  I  do  not  laugh,  and  insist  on  my  side  ;  we  both 
insist  ;  his  obstinacy  has  the  best  of  it  ;  he  is  determined  I  shall  be 
Monsieur  le  Comte.  Count  who  ?  Count  of  what  ?  I  will  try 
to  find  out.      Tired  of  the  discussion,  I  let  him  do  as  he  likes.     I 

4 


50  THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 

allow  myself  to  be  bombarded  Highness  ;  he  seizes  my  bag,  I  join 
you  on  deck,  and  find  you  struggling  with  your  black  man  ;  you 
follow  quite  bewildered,  we  jump  into  the  boat,  the  French  flag  at 
the  stern  ;  our  guide  makes  the  custom-house  officers,  who  should 
have  searched  us,  bow  to  us,  seats  us  in  a  carriage,  brings  us  here,  and 
disappears  !     Now  you  know  as  much  as  I  do." 

"  It's  a  regular  tale  of  the  '  Arabian  Nights.' " 

"  With  this  difference,  that  it's  absolutely  true,  and  that  here 
we  are  saved  from  the  claws  of  the  custom-house,  in  which  our 
unfortunate  companions  are  probably  still  struggling." 

Onesime  had  hardly  concluded  his  story,  which  he  had  related 
without  stopping,  and  in  a  loud  voice,  when  an  elderly  gentleman, 
of  eccentric  appearance,  who  had  been  listening  to  him  with  a  smile, 
approached  politely. 

"  You  will  pardon  me,  gentlemen,  the  disj)lay  of  curiosity  that 
made  me  stay  and  listen  to  the  account  of  your  adventure  ;  my  excuse 
will  be  that  I  was  indirectly  mixed  up  in  it  myself.  If  you  will  allow 
me,  I  will  clear  up  the  mystery  in  a  few  words." 

Jacques  and  Onesime  bowed.     The  elderly  gentleman  continued : — 

"  My  friend.  Count  de  M ,  attached  to  the  French  Consulate, 

was  expected  to-day  by  the  Said;  the  janissary  on  duty,  whom  you 
mistook  for  a  Kawas,  had  been  sent  to  meet  him  ;  the  Count  had 
remained  in  his  cabin  to  avoid  the  crowd  on  deck  ;  the  description 
of  my  friend  tallies  sufficiently  with  yours,  sir "  (and  he  looked  at 
Onesime),  "  for  the  janissary,  the  blue  bird,  as  you  have  very  wittily 
termed  him,  to  have  mistaken  you  for  him  ;  he  did  not  understand  a 
single  word  of  what  you  said  to  him,  and  acted  up  to  the  letter  of  his 
instructions.  You  were  allowed  to  pass  without  having  your  luggage 
examined,  thanks  to  the  immunity  enjoyed  in  such  matters  by  members 
of  the  Consulate  body.  And  that,  gentlemen,  is  the  very  simple 
explanation  of  an  abduction  which  I  see  has  not  been  attended  by 
any  very  disagreeable  consequences." 

"  On  the  contrary,"  said  One'sime. 

"  I  am  all  the  more  pleased  as  you  were  thus  spared  the  delay  and 
annoyance  that  have  been  the  lot  of  your  less  fortunate  companions ." 


DOCTOR    ALAN    KERADEC.  51 

"  I  regret  it  profoundly,"  answered  Jacques,  "  and  I  beg  you  to 
excuse  us,  for  this  foolish  prank  of  schoolboys  out  for  a  holiday 
must  have  left  your  friend  in  a  sad  predicament." 

"  Not  in  the  least,  gentlemen.  First  of  all,  you  gave  way  to  force, 
which  frees  you  from  all  responsibility ;  I  will  now  add,  to  set  your 
consciences  quite  at  ease,  that  the  Captain  of  the  Said  at  once  placed 

a  boat  at  the  service  of  Count  de  M ;   I  was  awaiting  him  at 

the  custom-house,  which  you  had  no  doubt  left  just  before  1  arrived 
— behind  time,  in  accordance  with  my  praiseworthy  habit — and  we 
have  been  here  some  minutes.    You  have  therefore  nothing  to  reproach 

yourselves  witli,  beyond  a  slight  delay  caused  to  Count  de  M ,  which 

enabled  me  to  be  exact  at  a  rendezvous  for  once  in  my  life,  for  which 
I  feel  very  grateful.  I  am  happy  that  this  quid  pro  quo,  which  has 
been  of  some  service  to  you,  without  having  caused  my  friend  any 
serious  inconvenience,  has  procured  me  the  pleasure  of  making  your 
acquaintance "  ;  and  handing  his  card  to  the  young  men,  he  took 
theirs,  and  they  cordially  shook  hands. 

Then  proceeding  all  three  to  the  dining-room,  they  found  Count  de 

M ,  to  whom  the  old  gentleman  introduced  his  new  acquaintances. 

They  all  laughed  a  great  deal  at  the  janissary's  mistake  ;  and  after 
dinner,  at  which  Jacques  had  the  proof  that  Xile  water  was  an 
excellent  beverage,  and  fresh  dates  a  feast  worthy  of  the  gods,  they 
met  again  in  the  smoking-room,  where  a  little  later  on  Doctor 
Reptilius  and  a  few  other  passengers  of  the  Said,  who  had  also  jnit 
up  at  the  Hotel  d'Enrope,  joined  them. 

Some  installed  themselves  on  the  large  divans,  others  placed  their 
chairs  on  the  balcony ;  and  amidst  the  smoke  of  pipes,  cigars,  and 
cigarettes  conversation  soon  became  general. 

The  old  gentleman  whom  chance  had  thrown  in  the  path  of  the 
two  friends  was  Doctor  Alan  Keradec,  a  good  doctor,  an  Egyptologist 
of  distinction.  He  had  come  straight  from  Syria,  after  having  made 
fruitful  researches  in  the  field  of  science,  attracted  by  the  renown 
of  the  discovery  that  Maspe'ro  had  just  made  at  Deir-el-Bahari 
in  the  plain  of  Thebes,  where  he  had  found  intact  the  sarcophagi 
of    several   Pharaohs,   that    of  the    great    Sesostris    among   others. 


52 


THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 


He  intended  setting  out  again  shortly  to  visit  Upper  Egypt,  where 
he  hoped  to  unearth  something,  if  it  were  only  the  error  of  a 
fellow- labourer. 

He  was  a  native  of  Brittany,  a  "  Breton  hretonnant "  ;  medium  in 
height,  broad-shouldered;  the  head  was  roughly  accentuated — ^volumin- 
ous at  the  top,  thin  at  the  bottom ;  the  forehead  was  vast,  prominent ; 
green  eyes  with  dilated  pupils  sprinkled  with  gold  S2)angles,  large, 
luminous,  of  a  profound  softness,  gleamed  in  the  hollow  of  their  dark 
sockets,  surmounted  by   thick  powerful  eyebrows.     The  visage  of  a 

tamed  anchorite,  which  extreme 
pallor  had  made  livid,  sometimes 
coloured  with  a  passing  hectic  flush, 
with  an  expressive  physiognomy  fur- 
rowed by  numerous  deep  wrinkles, 
where  a  network  of  bluish  veins 
showed  up  in  relief  near  the 
temples,  was  overhung  with  a  big, 
unkempt,  thick,  black,  grey- 
besprinkled  maze  of  hair  and  beard. 
White,  sharp,  regular  teeth  shone  in 
this  forest  of  hair.  The  arms  were 
too  long  for  the  body  ;  the  chest 
bulged  very  much  forward,  the  back 
was  flat  ;  the  legs  were  slender  ; 
life  had  taken  up  its  abode  in  the 
upper  regions. 

A  tall  silk  hat  of  a  mature  age, 
and  of  reddish-brown  tint,  covered  his  enormous  head.  Whether  he 
was  searching  the  i)lains  of  Syria,  crossing  the  deserts  of  Arabia,  or 
penetrating  among  the  sepulchres  of  the  Valley  of  Kings,  that  hat 
never  left  him,  immutable  on  his  bushy  skull  like  the  pschent  on  the 
heads  of  the  Pharaohs,  engraven  on  the  pylons  of  Karnac.  The 
correlative  part  of  his  attire  fostered,  perhaps,  the  beneficent  warmth 
which,  fertilising  his  brain,  incubated  the  embryonic  egg  of  his 
thought,  and  gave  birth  to  his  ideas.     He  might  forget  his  friends, 


Doctor  Alau  Keradec. 


DOCTOR   ALAN    KERADEC. 


53 


he  never  forgot  bis  liat !  The  latter  might  leave  him,  he  never  left  it ! 
A  creased  frock-coat,  always  hermetically  closed,  enveloped  his  angular 
body  and  fell  in  pleats  on  his  heron-like  legs.  The  care  that  he  gave 
to  study  prevented  him  from  devoting  sufficient  to  his  person,  which, 
in  the  result,  was  considerably  neglected. 

His  erudition  was  great  :  he  was  an  excellent  dictionary  badly  bound, 
somewhat  diffuse,  which  one  might  consult 
at   any   moment.      A   very  good   fellow   at     I 
heart,  who   would   step   aside 
rather  than  crush  a  worm. 

Jacques,   who    had    mono- 
polised him,  was  already  turn- 
ing over  the  pages.     Answers 
followed    questions,    rapid, 
exact,  with   a  neatness   of 
elocution,    a    happiness    of 
exjn-ession,  a  liveliness    of 
description,  that  were  as- 
tonishing.   The  former  did 
not  cease  making  inquiries, 
the  latter  giving  information, 
to    the    great    satisfaction    of 
both  parties. 

Reptilius,  sniffing  a  redoubtable 
rival  in  this  encyclopaedia  on  two  legs,  had  glided 
surreptitiously  into  the  discussion,  opposing  ob- 
jections to  the  risky  hypotheses,  the  contestable 
affirmations,  the  historical  facts,  more  correct  in 
appearance  than  in  reality,  of  the  terrible  Armorican,  who  refuted 
him  with  charming  freedom. 

"  Us,"  wishing  to  crush  his  adversary,  dashed  into  a  cumbrous  and 
heavy  compilation  of  facts,  dates,  anecdotes,  witli  the  pretension  to 
sum  up  the  history  of  the  greatness  and  fall  of  the  ancient  capital 
of  Egypt.  It  was  like  a  paving-stone  launched  amidst  the  audience. 
When  he  had  come  to  an  end,  Onesime  was  fast  asleep,  insensible  to 


Onesime  fast  asleep. 


54  THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 

the  repeated  bites  that  a  mosquito  was  impudently  treating  himself 
to  on  his  nose  ;  the  other  persons  who  had  been  amused  at  the  slight 
skirmishes  between  Jacques  and  the  old  Breton  had  prudently  fled 
before  this  charge  of  heavy  German  cavalry,  which  had  crushed  poor 
old  Coquillard. 

Alan  Keradec  and  his  young  friend  applauded  at  the  end  of 
the  tiresome  dissertation.  Surprised  by  the  unforeseen  attack,  they 
had  had  to  have  recourse  to  all  their  patience  to  listen  to  the  end, 
to  all  their  politeness  to  suppress  the  yawning  that  overjiowered 
them. 

"  Us,"  mistaking  the  fatigue  caused  by  his  indigestible  dose  for 
the  discouragement  of  defeat,  dissembled  his  immoderate  vanity 
beneath  feigned  moderation  ;  he  wiped  the  glasses  of  his  spectacles, 
giving  himself  the  airs  of  an  old  coquette,  cackling  quietly  with  satis- 
faction, assuming  the  aspect  of  a  turkey  strutting  about  with  his  tail 
spread  out.  At  length,  intoxicated  by  what  he  believed  to  be  his 
success,  encouraged  by  the  silence  of  his  audience,  his  conceit  over- 
flowed ;  he  sought  to  force  out  the  compliments  that  did  not  come 
fast  enough  to  please  him. 

"  I  tink,  sentlemen,"  said  he,  with  his  head  high,  the  nose 
forward,  the  nostrils  dilated,  the  lip  disdainful,  his  arms  crossed 
behind  his  back,  propped  up  on  his  skinny  legs,  with  an  air  that 
bordered  on  impertinence,  "  I  tink,  sentlemen,  it  vood  have  been 
tifficult  to  have  said  as  much  in  feuver  vords  ? " 

"  Or  in  more  barbarous  language,"  thought  Jacques,  in  petto, 
horrified  at  Reptilius's  frightful  Teutonic  accent. 

"  You  forget,  with  laudable  modesty,  to  add,  '  and  so  well,' " 
punctuated  Keradec.     ''  I  rejiair  that  omission." 

"  I  so  much  tislike  speaking  of  myself,"  said  Reptilius,  fluttering 
beneath  the  compliment,  "  dat  I  ofden  forget  to  to  myself  chustice. 
This  ridigulous  modesty  vill  pee  my  ruin.  Yes,  my  tear  tocdor,  you 
have  said  zo,  and  I  repead  it,  aldough  plushing  :  '  as  much  in  feuver 
vords  and  zo  veil  1 '     As  you  insist." 

"  Ah  !  "  observed  Jacques. 

"  Is    not   dat    your   opinion  ? "   replied   "  Us,"   alarmed    at    this 


DISAPPOINTMENT    AND    ANGER    OF    EEPTILIUS. 


55 


dubitative  exclamation  of  the  enemy,  whom  he  had  thought  vanquished 
by  his  brilliant  charge. 

"  What  you  have  just  set  forth  is  no  doubt  very  good,"  answered 
Jacques  drily,  provoked  by  the  hypocritical  ingenuousness  and  the 
extreme  sufficiency  of  the  Teuton,  "  but  also  very  long  ;  I  think  it 
migfht  have  been  said  more  conciselv." 

"  And  one  might  even,"  let  fly  Ke'radec,  coming  to  his  support, 
*'  have  said  much  more  in  fewer  words."  i 

"  And    much    petter,    eh,    Tocdeur    Gueratec  ? " 
hissed  Reptilius   between   his   closed   teeth, 
making  a  bitter  allusion  to  the  "  so  well  " 
with   which   the   Doctor    had   so   pleasantly 
caressed  his  epidermis  a  minute  before. 

"  Oh,  I  don't  say  that." 

"  You  limit  yourself  to  tinking  it ;  I  am 
opliged  to  you  for  stopping  tere." 

"  There  is  no  need  to  be." 

"  But,    yes,    tere    is — stopping    on    such    a 
peautiful  road  ! " 

"  I  have  always  known  when  to  stop  in  time, 
Mr.  Reptilius." 

"  Us  "  bit  his  lips.  The  shaft  had  gone  home  ; 
he  was  struck  with  consternation,  plucked  of  all 
his  illusions  ;  his  adversaries,  far  from  having  been  Reptuius  biting  his  ups. 
brought  to  earth,  were  making  fun  of  him  to  his 
face.  He  had  made  a  mere  vain  attempt.  These  barbarous  Gauls 
had  not  been  able  to  appreciate  his  learned  prose  from  the  opposite 
side  of  the  Rhine.  Margarita  ante  porcos,  he  thought,  to  console 
himself ;  he  must  begin  again  I  He  dissembled  his  resentment  and 
profound  disappointment,  and  with  constrained  composure  continued 
in  a  honeylike  tone, — 

"  Vitch  of  fou,  sentlemen,  vill  give  me  tee  subreme  satisfaction  of 
proving  vot  fou  have  just  advanced— dat  fou  could  to  petter  and  more 
priefly  ?  " 

"  Really,"  said  Jacques,  "  I  think  one  could  say  in  a  page  what  it 


56 


THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 


has  taken  j'on  a  volume  to  relate  ;  I  will  not  go  so  far  as  to  affirm 
that  it  will  be  better,  but  it  will  certainly  not  be  worse." 

"  Speak,  sir  ;  I  vill  have  dat  page  engraved  in  letters  of  cold,  and 
I  vill  present  it  to  tee  Berlin  Museum,  vere  it  vill  remain  as  a  motel 
of  style  and  concision  for  tee  great  edification  of  chenerations  to 
come." 

"  As  you  please,  Mr.  Reptilius  ;  write,  it  will  not  be  long  ;  for  if 


Alexander  and  Dinocrates. 


I   unclothe   your   historical   effusion  and  strip  it  stark  naked,  there 
will  remain  simply  this,  which  I  shall  condense  into  a  few  lines  : — 

''  '  Alexander,  that  soldier  of  genius  with  the  vice  of  an  arrant 
drunkard,  the  libidinous  produce  of  an  enterprising  serpent  and  the 
bacchante  Myrtalia,  while  on  a  visit  to  the  Pharaohs,  was  one  day 
promenading  his  own  irascible  majesty  along  the  seashore,  thinking 
of  Hephaestion  and  dreaming  of  Bagoas,  while  working  off  the  wine  of 
the  previous  evening  ;  he  halts  before  the  little  town  of  Rhakotis  ;  the 
site  pleases  him  :  and,  in  accordance  with  the  iilnns  of  his  architect, 
Dinocrates,  he  has   a   city   built  there,   which  he  baj^tises    with  his 


ROUGH    SKETCH    OF    HISTORY.  57 

own   name — vanity   of  a   lucky   warrior,    who   wanted    to   set   np   a 
monument  of  bis  reputation. 

" '  Like  all  cities,  when  once  founded,  it  rises,  grows,  expands, 
and,  after  various  adventures,  topples  over  and  falls,  engulfed  in  a 
terrible  catastrophe  from  which  it  has  never  recovered. 

" '  Artistic,  learned,  commercial,  under  the  Ptolemies,  it  produces 
masterpieces,  becomes  the  brain  of  Europe,  and  lives  like  a  millionaire. 
Vicious  with  Cleopatra,  it  gets  sick  of  the  beautiful,  leads  the  life  of 
a  Punchinello,  squanders  its  revenue,  and  from  a  mistress  becomes  a 
servant. 

" '  Beaten  and  plundered  by  the  Romans,  whom  it  feeds,  it  plunges 
into  Christianity,  loses  the  small  amount  of  brains  that  it  still  pos- 
sessed, and  issues  from  the  adventure  stupid,  a  bigot,  crippled  with 
heresy.  Its  character  is  embittered  ;  it  becomes  pedantic,  lunatic, 
ill-tempered,  and  wrangles  indefinitely  about  trifles.  It  recovers  for  a 
moment  a  bit  of  strength,  tussles  with  Amrou,  who  gives  it  a  soimd 
thrashing.  After  the  victory  he  does  not  act  too  brutally  towards  it  ; 
he  quietly  makes  it  Mussulman,  reads  it  the  Koran  to  divert  it,  teaches 
it  to  kill  time  by  making  pretty  little  mosques,  ornamented  with 
arabesques  and  dainty  minarets  as  light  as  lace,  with  the  pillars  of  its 
temples  ;  he  heats  his  baths  with  the  old  worm-eaten  volumes  of  its 
library,  which  had  escaped  the  destructive  zeal  of  the  Christians,  under 
Theodosius  ;  flirts  with  it,  shows  it  the  fidelity  of  a  poodle-dog,  and 
then  suddenly  leaves  it  to  its  own  devices,  to  go  and  trace  out  the 
plan  of  Cairo,  and  make  of  Fostat  what  Alexander  had  made  of 
Rhakotis. 

" '  After  that  come  the  Turks,  ill-bred  fellows,  who  handle  it 
roughly ;  the  Mamelukes,  who  behave  like  regular  Pandours ;  Bonaparte, 
who  does  not  even  look  at  it. 

" '  Finally,  Mahomet  Ali  became  infatuated  with  this  corruption  on 
the  decline,  and  both  he  and  his  successors  sought  to  renew  its 
virginity  ;  but  no,  it  was  at  an  end  I  The  palmy  days  of  Cleopatra's 
time  are  far  away  ;  the  people  have  been  burning  the  candle  at 
both  ends ;  and,  with  age,  parturition  has  come  to  a  standstill, 
striking   with   sterility  the   old  but   still   bewitching  coquette,  who 


58  THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 

is  now  spending  lier  last  pence  with  a  few  sliady  bankers  and  un- 
scrupulous shopkeepers  who  shamelessly  live  upon  her.' " 

''  Us,"  in  j)roportion  as  Jacques  proceeded,  had  shown  unmis- 
takable signs  of  general  uneasiness.  When  the  latter  had  concluded 
this  picturesque  effusion,  Reptilius  made  a  prodigious  leap  in  the 
air,  like  a  carp,  coming  down  on  the  feet  of  Onesime,  who  awoke 
with  a  start,  and  shouted  out  with  pain,  thinking  he  had  fallen  a 
prey  to  his  bugbear — the  cataclysm  !  Then,  standing  in  front  of 
the  young  man,  "  Us "  examined  him  through  his  spectacles  with 
mute,  prolonged,  cautious  attention,  as  if  he  found  himself  in  the 
presence  of  a  dangerous  and  inexplicable  phenomenon. 

Onesime  enjoyed  this  profound  Teutonic  stupefaction.  "  That  rascal 
Jacques  has  been  up  to  his  games  while  I  was  asleep,"  he  thought. 
And  he  looked  merry,  his  ears  wide  open,  while  avoiding  the  attacks 
of  the  mosquitoes,  attracted  by  flesh  freshly  arrived  from  Europe^ 
and  scratching  his  sore  nose. 

"Us"  at  length  recovered  speech;  he  burst  out, — 

"  But  dis  is  an  outrage  upon  science,  an  assassination  of  style  ; 
it  is  hisdorical  high  dreason  dat  you  have  just  gommitted ;  this 
vandastical,  I  might  almost  say  prutal  and  unseemly,  inder- 
bredatiou " 

"  You  may  dare,"  interrupted  Jacques,  laughing ;  "  do  not  stand 
upon  ceremony." 

"Of  hisdory,"  continued  Reptilius,  "tisdurbs  all  recognised 
notions  of  tee  metod  of  dreating  tis  uople  pranch  of  human  know- 
ledge.    It  is  bure  fancy." 

"  Like  his  geography,  in  fact,"  thought  Onesime. 

"  You  have  dold  a  story  and  not  related  hisdory ;  and  you  vill 
not  be  surbrised  if  in  my  turn  I  find  dat  it  is  imbossible  do  say  vorse 
in  feuver  vords." 

"  But,  Mr.  Reptilius,"  joined  in  Alan  Keradec,  "what  Mr.  Jacques 
has  just  said  is  perfect  in  its  way  ;  he  relates  history  according  to 
his  temperament,  you  in  accordance  with  yours  ;  to  your  interminable 
affectation  he  opposes  his  intended  brutality;  his  incisive  ingenuous- 
ness astounds  your  inert  erudition  ;    where  you  use  the  afiirmative 


TWO    EEUDITES    FALL    OUT. 


59 


and  cutting  form,  lie  juggles  with  words  and  plays  with  style  ;  you 
are  long,  he  is  brief,  that  is  all  the  difference.  History  is  a  mixture  in 
unequal  proportions  of  truth  and  falsity,  in  which  falsity  predominates  ; 
now,  you  are  prolix  and  Mr.  Jacques  is  concise;  where  you  are  in 
error  in  a  volume,  he  only  makes  a  mistake  in  a  page ;  all  the 
chances,  therefore,  that  he  will  commit  fewer  mistakes  than  you 
are  on  his  side." 


Reptilius  smiled  ^  \  ^y\ 


coldly  behind    his  f"^ 


[<m.-%% 


Keradec  and  Reptilius  flinging  argTiments  at  each  other's  heads. 


blue  glasses. 

"  And  you,  Mr, 
Gueratec,  in  what  ~       jg^  i 

way  do  you  make 
mistakes  ?  " 

"  In  a  vast  number  of  ways." 

''  I  vas  aple  to  judge  of  dat  a  moment  ago." 

"  And  I  trust  I  shall  give  you  many  other  opportunities  of  doing 
so,  Mr.  Reptilius." 

"To-night?" 

"I  much  regret,  but  I  fear  not;  I  prefer  remaining  under  the 


60 


THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 


cliarm  of  your  coitions  and  learned  dissertation,  and  of  tlie  original 
sketch  of  your  adversary.     However " 

Tlien  lie  turned  towards  Jacques,  and  placed  himself  at  his  disposal, 
to  accompany  him  the  next  day,  and  act  as  cicerone  to  him  in 
Alexandria.     "  We  will  compose  history  on  the  spot,"  he  added. 

The  evening  was  prolonged  until  the  two  doctors,  after  having 
tried  each  other  for  some  time,  ended  hy  grappling  together  in 
earnest ;  and  when  the  two  friends,  on  taking  leave,  withdrew  to 
their  respective  rooms,  the  savants,  intoxicated  by  the  science  which 
rose  to  their  brains,  were  well  engaged,  flinging  arguments  at  each 
other's  heads,  bristling  like  fighting  cocks,  forgetting  everything, 
forgetting  themselves  sometimes,  in  the  heat  of  the  struggle. 

Jacques  glided  beneath  his  mosquito  net,  after  having  previously 
assured  himself  of  the  enemy's  absence,  and  slept  soundly,  dreaming 
of  the  Ptolemies,  of  Antony  and  Cleopatra. 

Onesime,  the  imprudent  Onesime,  who  had  not  taken  the  wise  pre- 
caution of  making  even  a  superficial  inspection  of  the  premises,  and  had 
left  his  mosquito  net  partly  open,  had  a  bad  night,  engaging  by  the 
light  of  his  candle  in  a  series  of  terrible  battles  with  the  mosquitoes 
that  were  thirsting  for  his  blood,  exasperated  against  his  person. 


^^Sb 


View  of  Alexandria. 


CHAPTER  V. 

Onesime's  despair. — A  turn  in  the  city. — The  Consuls'  Square. — Jacques  is 
dazzled  ;  One'sime  is  surprised  at  it. — Through  the  Arab  town. — The  island 
of  Pharos  and  its  old  lighthouse. — Onesime's  distress. — He  has  had  enough  of 
this  steeplechase. — Alexandrian  society. — Characters  in  the  streets. — A  few 
words  about  ancient  Alexandria. — The  Faubourg  of  Karmous. — Picturesque 
misery. — Pompey's  Pillar. — Alan  Keradec  and  Jacques  find  Onesime  at  the 
Cafe  Rossini. 


T  I  ^HE  next  momiug  Onesime  was  not  to  be  recognised.  Exliaiistedj 
-*-  broken  down  by  insomnia,  a  prey  to  smarting  irritation  caused 
by  the  bites  of  those  abominable  insects  ;  the  visage  puffed  out, 
the  nose  tumefied  and  the  colour  of  carmine  ;  an  eye  half  hidden 
beneath  the  red,  swollen  lid  ;  it  seemed  as  if  phlegmatic  erysipelas 
had  broken  out  all  over  his  face. 

When  Jacques,  after  a  capital  night,  went  to  wake  him,  and 
handed  him,  at  his  request,  a  mirror,  Onesime  almost  fainted.  In 
doubt  as  to  his  own  identity,  he  wanted  to  think  for  a  moment  that  it 
was  his  neighbour,  not  himself,  who  had  just  been  awakened  by  mistake. 
When  he  was  convinced  that  it  was  not  an  illusion,  that  it  was  himself 
whom  he  saw— himself,  Onesime  Coquillard— he  sank  moaning  on 
his  bed. 

Jacques  left  him  piteously  facing  his  mirror,  and  went  in  search 

61 


62 


THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 


of  a  doctor.  Coming  across  Dr.  Keradec  in  the  corridor,  who  was 
then  leaving  his  room,  he  gave  him  an  account  of  the  state  of  his  poor 
companion.  The  doctor  promptly  accompanied  him  to  Onesime.  A 
friction  with  ammonia,  followed  by  a  comforting  bath,  made  the  latter 
himself  again  ;  and  an  hour  afterwards,  though  still  preserving 
honourable  and  painful  traces  of  his  nocturnal  battle,  he  joined  his 
friend  and  his  deliverer,  and  sat  down  to  the  knife  and  fork  breakfast 
with  an  appetite  sharpened  by  the  struggle. 

Jacques   was   anxious   to   go    through   the    city. 

The  meal  was  briskly  finished,  and  all  three  walked 

out  on  the  Consuls'  Square,  the  Mahomet 

Square,  where  stands  the  bronze  statue 

latter  in  the  act  of  commanding. 
Jacques  was  quite  dazzled  on  entering 
furnace,  brought  up  to  a  white  heat  by 
L'ays  of  the  intense  sun,  where,  in   a 
strange    confusion    of    shadows,    of 
colours,  of  types,  the  hybrid  popu- 
lation, hailing  from  all  parts  of  the 
world,  swarmed   with    a    prolonged 
hum.     This  unexjiected  and  faithful 
foretaste    of    the    East   very   much 
impressed  him. 

While  advancing,  in  the  shade 
of  the  acacias  of  the  square, 
towards  the  Tossizza  Palace,  he 
fully  indulged  his  ocular  enthusiasm,  halting  at  every  step  to 
admire. 

Here,  a  gigantic  negro  of  the  Soudan  was  shivering  in  his  triple 
burnous  in  this  temperature  of  86°  Fahr. ;  there,  a  group  of  bronzed 
Bedouins,  with  small,  white,  even-set  teeth,  presenting  a  ferocious  air 
beneath  their  kouffiehs  of  yellow  silk,  bound  round  the  head  by  thick 
cords,  enveloped  in  their  loose  brown  gowns  striped  with  white,  in 
coarse  material  woven  out  of  camels'  hair. 

Farther  on  fellaheen  women,  supporting  great  amphorae  with  the 


Poor  Onesime  ! 


Baker  at  Kanuous. 


THE  consuls'  square.  65 

hand  on  their  left  shoulder,  passed  along  with  proud  gait,  the  head 
erect,  covered  with  the  yabrah,  the  corners  of  which  touched  their 
heels,  full  of  elegance  in  their  ample  dark-blue  garments  falling  in 
subtle  folds.  A  black  veil,  fastened  at  their  tattooed  foreheads  by  the 
bright  bourou,  hid  the  lower  part  of  the  face,  showing  only  sparkling 
eyes,  half  veiled  by  their  long  black  lashes.  With  the  other  arm, 
adorned  with  massive  copper  bracelets,  made  in  heavy  coils  and 
antique  form,  they  gracefully  gathered  up  the  flowing  folds  of  their 
long  gowns. 

Then  there  were  robust  fellaheen,  slender,  muscular,  the  colour  of 
baked  brick,  with  gentle  physiognomies  beneath  their  white  takiehs  ; 
Arnauts,  in  petticoats,  but  each  carrying  a  whole  armoury  of  weapons  ; 
Montenegrins,  with  hard  features,  their  belts  bristling  with  knives  and 
pistols  ;  olive-coloured  Jews,  with  hooked  noses,  restless  eyes,  black 
turbans. 

The  Doctor  smiled,  slackening  the  pace,  stopping  with  Jacques,  not 
wishing  to  disturb  this  first  impression  of  a  strange  world. 

Onesime,  in  the  protectinir  shade  of  an  immense  white  parasol, 
lined  with  green  silk  inside,  his  eyes  guarded  by  a  tortoise-shell 
binocle  with  smoked  glasses,  sought  an  explanation  of  the  singular 
enjoyment  experienced  by  Jacques. 

"  What  on  earth,"  he  murmured,  "  can  he  find  beautiful  in  those 
horrible  negro  faces,  those  ugly  Bedouins,  those  water-carriers  dressed 
up  in  that  ridiculous  manner,  those  dirty  fellaheen,  those  theatrical- 
looking  Palikari,  those  pasteboard  Montenegrins,  those  filthy  Jews  ? 
I  admit  that  the  sight  is  curious,  even  interesting  ;  but  between  that 
and  being  lost  in  such  ecstatic  contemplation  there  is  a  long  way ! " 
And  as  Jacques  had  gone  out  without  a  parasol,  he  concluded  that  a 
commencement  of  sun-fever  was  acting  upon  his  brain  and  slightly 
interfering  with  his  intellect. 

They  walked  round  the  square,  deaf  to  the  noisy  solicitations  of  a 
turbulent  group  of  donkey-drivers,  anxious  to  vaunt  the  qualities  of 
their  respective  animals.  They  passed  indifferent  in  front  of  a  stand 
of  hired  carriages,  in  very  good  order,  harnessed  to  small,  sinewy, 
frisky  horses,  with  the  elegant  Arab  coachmen  in  long  white-and-blue 

5 


66 


THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 


gaiidourahs  and  scarlet  tarboushes  on  their  heads,  their  enticing 
speech  forming  a  striking  contrast  to  the  coarseness  of  their  rude 
European  brethren. 

They  halted  for  a  moment  at  the  angle  of  the  square  and  the  Rue 
Mahomet  Tewfik,  before  the  improvised  shop  of  a  money-changer, 
I  where  a  Bedouin  was  concluding  a  commercial 

transaction.      Leaning   with   one  hand  on  a 
rickety  table,  surmounted  by  a  desk  with  the 
Sarraf's  glass-case,  seated  on  a  staved-in 
-    and  broken-legged  straw-bottomed  chair, 
he  exchanged  some  small  money  for  a 
paper   which    he   placed   in  one  of  the 
numerous   folds   of    his    girdle.      They 
approached  and  received  a  handful  of 
piastres  in  return  for  a  coin  that  they 
handed   this    open-air    banker. 
Then,  turning  their  backs  to  the 
Tossizza    Palace,   they   entered 
the    Rue     Franque.       Passing 
apidly    before    the    numerous 
covered    stalls     of    clock- 
makers  and  jewellers,  for 
the  most  part  Italians,  they 
noticed  the  red  burnouses 
embroidered    with 
the    lig 
gold  and   silver   filigree  work,  damascened 
daggers,  amber   necklaces,  long    tchibouks 
with    red    clay   bowls,   and    silk    kouffiehs, 
money-changer.  displayed     lu     a    fcw    rare    shops    where 

native  produce  was  sold. 

They  were  very  soon  in  the  middle  of  the  Arab,  town,  which  is 
built  on  the  isthmus  connecting  the  island  of  Pharos  with  the  con- 
tinent, on  the  same  spot  as  the  Heptastadia.  used  to  be.  Lost  in 
a  maze  of  narrow  streets,  of  winding   lanes,  stumbling   into   holes, 


gold, 
ornaments     in 


THROUGH    THE    AEAB    TOWN. 


67 


floundering  in  sewers,  they  ventured  into  the  long,  low,  and  dark 
passage  which  forms  the  bazaar  of  wearing  material,  where  silent 
Arab  merchants,  squatting  down  on  their  heels,  between  their  narghilehs 
stuffed  full  of  tombeki  and  their  babouches,  indulged  in  the  sweetness 
of  kief\  or  were  selling  European  goods  worked  up  in  the  country. 

Frightful-looking  old  Jewesses, 
with  impure  gestures,  gazed  at  them 
eagerly,  quietly  setting  ajar  the 
doors,  so  as  to  show  pretty  heads 
of  young  girls  in  the  background. 

Onesime,  losing  his  equilibrium 
at  every  step,  stormed,  horribly 
disgusted  with  this,  to  his  mind, 
senseless  excursion,  in  these  in- 
extricable streets,  amidst  these 
miserable  hovels. 

They  soon  emerged  from  the 
labyrinth  into  the  light ;  crossing 
drowsy-looking  streets,  they  per- 
ceived a  few  Arab  houses,  caught 
sight  of  some  curious  groups  on 
the  thresholds  of  the  doors,  of  a 
few  moucharabiehs  at  the  windows ; 
and,  after  having  followed  an  in- 
terminable length  of  white  wall 
bordering  the  Grand  Port,  they 
came  out  at  the  eastern  point  of 
the  island  of  Pharos,  where  the  Fort 
Kait-Bey  rises  on  the  site  of  the 
ancient  lighthouse  of  the  Cnidian. 

An  accumulation  of  rocks  and  hewn  stone,  which  can  still  be 
distinguished  beneath  the  water  when  the  sea  is  calm,  at  the  eastern 
point  of  the  island,  is  all  that  remains  of  that  splendid  white  marble 
tower,  four  hundred  feet  high,  built  in  stories  superposed  one  on 
the  other,  which  was  a  marvel  of  the  world. 


Street  in  the  Arab  quarter. 


68 


THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 


"  The  Arab  town,  which  we  have  just  crossed,"  explaiued  the 
Doctor,  "  covers  the  sjjot,  cousiderably  enlarged  by  land  encroachments 
on  the  sea,  where  the  Heptastadia,  that  gigantic  hewn-stone  dyke, 
seven  stadia  long,  united  the  island  of  Pharos,  where  we  stand,  to 
the  continent.  It  terminated  with  the  lighthouse,  which,  according 
to  some,  exceeded  in  height  the  pyramid  of  Cheops,  and,  according 

to  others,  was  only  equal 
to  that  of  the  tower  of 
Cordouan. 

"  This  monumental 
jetty,  intersected  by  a 
double  line  of  communi- 
cation, divided  the  port 
into  two  basins,  which 
still  exist  :  the  Grand 
Port  and  the  Port  of 
Eunostos.  The  Grand 
Port,  the  New  Port,  now 
out  of  use,  along  which 
we  have  just  passed, 
ended  on  the  east  by 
that  narrow  strip  of  land 
of  the  Pharillon  which 
von  see  before  you  at 
he  extremity  of  the 
4ulf,  the  .Acro-Lochias 
of  those  days  ;  at  its 
base,  facing  the  Palace 
of  the  Ptolemies,  the  Lochias,  they  had  dug  out  a  basin,  the  Port  of  the 
Kings,  where  the  royal  galleys  remained  at  anchor.  The  other  basin, 
that  on  the  west,  the  Port  of  Eunostos  which  extends  behind  us,  the 
Old  Port  at  present,  considerably  enlarged  by  the  Khedive,  also  had 
its  private  basin,  the  Kibotos,  into  which  ran  a  navigable  canal." 

The  Breton  ended  by  recalling  the  trick,  which  was  quite  justifiable 
for  the  matter  of  that,  of  the  architect  of  Cnidos  engraving  his  name 


Head  of  old  Jewess. 


THE    ISLAND    OF   PHAEOS    AND    ITS    LIGHTHOUSE. 


69 


on  the  stone,  followed  by  an  inscription,  and  covering  the  whole  with 
stucco,  on  which  was  displayed,  in  letters  of  gold,  the  name  of  the 
supposed  architect,  Ptolemy  Philadelphus,  in  the  hope  that  the  slow 
action  of  centuries  would  one  day  remove  this  slender  coating,  and 
proclaim  his  name  to  the  admiration  of  future  generations.  The 
prevision  of  Sostratos  was  surpassed  ;  his  fiime  outlived  his  work, 
but  the  monument  disappeared,  carried  away  in  the  lapse  of 
centuries. 

Continuing  along  the  shore,  leaving  Fort  Ada  on  the  right,  they 
followed  the  axis  of  the  ancient 
island  of  Pharos,  through  the 
burning  solitude  of  a  deserted 
neighbourhood,  and  attained  the 
opposite  peninsula,  where  they 
visited  the  Palace  of  Ras-el-Tin,  the 
summer  residence  of  the  Khedive. 
They  ascended  the  superb  Carrara 
marble  staircase,  admired  the  granil 
circular  audience  chamber,  the 
luxurious  decoration  of  the  ceilings, 
the  richness  of  the  parquet  flooring. 
Then  crossing  the  shady  esplanade 
which  separates  the  palace  from 
the  harem,  they  rested  under  the 
trees  near  the  fountain,  contem- 
plating with  pity,  at  the  western 
extremity  of  the  peninsula,  the  ungraceful  silhouette  of  the  modern 
lighthouse,  crushed  bv  the  souvenir  of  that  of  the  times  of  the 
Ptolemies. 

Jacques  filled  a  pipe,  while  Onesime,  bathed  in  i)erspiratiou, 
dabbed  liimself,  furiously  scratching  his  epidermis  covered  with  red 
papilhe,  produced  by  the  stings  of  those  ferocious  and  obstinate 
dipterous,  and  the  old  Breton,  as  dry  as  parchment,  rolled  a  cigarette. 

After  this  short  halt,  they  passed  before  the  arsenal,  crossed  the 
magnificent  floating  dock,  and,  following  the  curb  of  the  Old  Port  to 


The  liL:hthouse  of  Alex.iiidiia 


70  THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 

the  custom-house,  returned,  this  time  on  foot,  by  the  same  streets 
they  had  traversed  the  previous  day  in  the  comfortable  carriage  of 
Count  de  M . 

It  was  with  considerable  satisfaction  that,  fatigued  and  hungry, 
they  returned  to  their  hotel. 

Such  obstinacy,  to  tire  oneself  out,  under  the  influence  of  an 
admiring  sight  mania,  in  the  pursuit  of  insupportable  ruins,  of 
tumble-down  bazaars,  taking  lessons  of  history  in  the  open  air, 
stupefied  Onesime.  This  steeplechase  was  completely  in  disaccord 
with  his  indolent  and  barrack-like  habits.  Consequently,  when  the 
Doctor  and  Jacques,  after  the  meal,  rose  to  continue  their  excursion, 
he  formally  declined  to  follow  them.  He  gave  them  an  appointment, 
for  six  o'clock,  at  the  Cafe  Rossini  ;  and,  going  up  to  his  room,  threw 
himself  on  his  bed,  where,  during  a  part  of  the  afternoon,  he  regained 
in  healthy  slumber  the  strength  exhausted  by  his  fatigue  of  the 
morning  and  by  the  struggle  of  the  night. 

Jacques  felt  enjoyment  in  all  the  fibres  of  his  being.  His 
unrestrained  emotion  in  the  early  part  of  the  day  was  little  by  little 
brought  under  control,  and,  by  reflex  action,  transformed  into  a  sensa- 
tion more  calm,  into  a  more  just  perception  of  things,  which  entered 
slowly,  profoundly,  into  his  brain,  penetrating  it  and  leaving  an 
ineffaceable  impression  there. 

After  having  cast  a  glance  at  the  Mosque  of  Sheikh  Ibrahim, 
close  to  the  hotel,  a  massive  rectangular  building,  the  base  of  which, 
at  one  of  the  sides,  was  entirely  covered  by  a  cluster  of  Liliputian 
shops,  guaranteed  against  the  sun  by  miserable  mats  fixed  to  poles, 
they  took  the  Rue  Attarine. 

The  Doctor  gave  Jacques  information  as  they  walked  along  ;  but 
the  latter's  mind  was  less  attracted  by  these  modern  streets  of  the 
new  quarter,  ugly  and  pretentious,  borrowing  from  Europe  its  fatiguing 
monotony,  from  native  architecture  its  want  of  solidness,  without  the 
comfort  of  the  former,  without  the  elegance  and  graceful  caprices 
of  the  latter. 

"  If  Alexandria,"  said  the  Doctor,  ''  is  not  the  official  capital,  it  is 
certainly  the  effective  one,  at  least  of  the  European  colony,  which  by 


ALEXANDRIAN    SOCIETY.  71 

slow  and  coutinnons  infiltration  achieves  the  conquest  of  Egvpt,  a 
country  which  is  for  ever  being  conquered  and  for  ever  absorbing  its 
conquerors  I  It  is  the  centre  of  the  operations  of  great  banks,  of 
wealthy  commercial  houses  ;  also,  alas  !  of  impudent  rascals,  whose 
execrable  reputation  is  the  one  thing  that  they  have  not  stolen  ;  who 
live  here,  thanks  to  the  jealous  and  pernicious  protection  of  their 
respective  consulates,  by  extorted  indemnities,  by  substantial  com- 
pensations for  imaginary  injuries.  It  is  here  that  daring  adventurers, 
■with  easy  morals,  with  elastic  consciences,  practise  robbery  and  black- 
mailing on  a  large  scale,  following  unavowed  callings  and  engaging 
in  wholesale  smuggling  with  impunity. 

"  Despite  the  shameless  speculation  of  these  worshippers  of 
Mammon,  of  these  unscrupulous  jobbers  whom  you  loathe,  the  easy, 
charming  life,  the  entirely  Parisian  flow  of  spirits,  the  absolute 
Oriental  freedom  of  this  Frankish  city,  attract  you  ;  the  affal>le 
manner,  the  good  humour,  the  attenuated  atticism,  but  full  of  amenity 
and  indulgence,  of  its  inhabitants,  on  whom  the  souvenir  of  Cleopatra 
seems  to  have  cast  a  last  and  pale  reflection,  enchant  you  ;  and  its 
bewitching  women,  its  passion  for  dancing,  its  love  of  music,  its 
social  gatherings,  its  balls,  its  garden  parties,  charm  and  detain  you." 

They  stopped  before  the  Greek  Church  of  the  Annunciation,  a 
heavy  monument  with  a  bare  exterior,  of  a  Byzantine  style,  surrounded 
by  gardens. 

"  You  must  see  the  return  from  Mass,"  the  Doctor  said  to  him, 
"  if  you  wish  to  have  a  view  of  a  long  march  past  of  superb  creatures, 
modelled  after  the  antique  fashion,  with  adorable  profiles,  perfect 
purity  of  lines,  with  great,  limpid,  incomparable  eyes,  splendid  dull 
complexions,  slender  limbs,  grand,  noble  gait.  Such  must  have  been 
the  lovely  Alexandrian  women  in  the  days  of  the  Ptolemies,  when 
they  hurried  along,  in  search  of  pleasure  and  noise,  in  the  streets 
of  Bruchion,  during  the  feast  of  Adonis,  or  during  the  Dionysia, 
those  gigantic  saturnalia,  a  single  day  of  which  cost  millions  to  the 
Lagides." 

At  every  cross-road  ambulant  tradesmen,  Greeks  from  Candia 
for  the  most  part,  in  long,  untidy  coats,  a  scarf  twisted  round  the 


72  THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 

neck,  a  fez  placed  negligently  over  their  long  black   hair,  exposed 
for  sale   on  a  tray,  placed  on  a  frail  folding  support,  their  scanty 
edibles — red  and  white  nougat,  kolounia,  dates,  preserves. 
"Water-sellers  made  their  copper  goblets  ring. 

Arabs  reposed  indolently  on  the  footpaths,  grilled  by  the  sun, 
troubled  in  their  idleness,  cursing  these  grand  thoroughfares  paved 
with  long  slabs,  regretting  the  narrow  streets  of  former  days,  where, 
sheltered  from  the  sun,  guaranteed  against  the  heat,  they  coald 
sleep  at  ease,  and  rest  their  fatigued  limbs. 

Barbers  shaved  their  customers  in  the  open  air. 
Porters,  with  canes  in  their  hands,  dozed  on  their  kafas,  made 
of  the  ribs  of  palm  leaves,  which  were  placed  beside  the  open  double 
doors,  in  the  spacious  vestibules  of  houses  of  white  marble  or  hewn 
stone.  Others  conversed  languidly  between  a  couple  of  puffs  from 
a  tchibouk,  which  they  passed  from  one  to  the  other. 

Berber  women  were  returning  from  market  with  baskets  full  of 
vegetables,  preceded  by  matrons  beaming  with  pride;  others,  playing 
the  part  of  nursemaids,  a  parcel  of  books  in  the  hand,  a  little  mantle 
on  the  arm,  walked  gravely  behind  babies  and  little  girls  returning 
from  school,  who  prematurely  spoil,  by  a  commencement  of  arrogance, 
the  lively  charm  of  their  pretty  faces. 

Then  they  passed  a  fat,  proud  Turk,  crushing  beneath  his  weight 
a  little  grey  donkey,  trotting  along  with  small  strides,  followed  by 
a  diminutive  donkey-boy,  exciting  the  poor,  tired-out  beast  with  his 
plaintive  "  Ah  ! "  and  the  point  of  his  stick. 

They  passed  stout,  homely  women,  waddling  along  like  fat  geese, 
puffing  and  blowing  beneath  their  white  veils,  putting  aside  with 
each  hand  the  yards  of  black  silk  with  which  they  were  enveloped, 
resembling  enormous  leather  bottles  rolling  along  the  ground  when 
the  wind,  bursting  in,  inflated  their  robes. 

Levantine  women  carelessly  promenaded  their  indiscreet  obesity, 
leaning  on  the  arms  of  dried-up  Levantine  men,  with  cunning- 
eyes. 

Negroes,  under  the  arches,  were  j)ouuding  coffee  with  heavy  iron 
pestles. 


A    FEW    WOEDS    ABOUT    ANCIENT    ALEXANDRIA. 


78 


At  tlie  Boulevard  Ismail  the  Doctor  stopped  Jacques,  aud,  pointing 
out  to  him  some  fragments  of  exposed  columns,  remarked  :  ''  Here 
we  are  in  the  midst  of  Bruchion,  in  the  ancient  Canopic  way.     Thanks 
to  recent  excavations,  they  have  been  able  to  find  the  foundations 
of  the  old  walls  and  of  the  pavement  of  the 
streets  of  bygone  days,  which  the  progres-     h 
sive  rising  of  the  soil  had  covered  with  a      -; 
thick  layer  of  refuse,  nearly  seven  feet  deep,        -   . 
and  to   re-establish  the  plan  of  the  city  of 
the  past. 

"  Beside  Rhakotis,  extending  along  the 
banks    of    the    Eunostos,    rose    Bruchion, 
skirting  the  Grand  Port,  separated  by 
an  enceinte  from  the  remainder  of  the     ^ 
town,  with  its  numerous  monu- 


ments, its  necropolis  on  the  west 
its  Jewish  quarter  on  the  east  of 
the  city.     It  was  Ptolemy  Soter, 
the  successor   of  Alexander,  the 
founder  of  the  house  of  Lagides,    . 
who     commenced     its      superb  -^ 
buildings. 

"  This  neighbourhood  was 
covered  by  a  network  of  spacious 
thoroughfares,  abutting  on  two  great 
arteries  which  crossed  each  other.  The 
largest  of  them,  extending  from  the  south- 
west to  the  north-east,  connected  the  necropolis 
with  the  Jewish  quarter,  and  ended  on  the  west 
near  the  Canopus  gate,  the  Rosetta  gate  of  our  own 
days.  The  other  traversed  it  at  a  right  angle,  and  ran  between  the 
gates  of  the  Sun  and  Moon,  from  the  Port  of  the  Kings  to  Lake 
IMareotis  ;  there  an  interior  })ort  received  the  produce  of  Egypt  by 
the  canals,  whence  it  was  conveyed  by  vessels  to  the  commercial 
ports  of  the  Mediterranean.     These  broad  thoroughfares  were  paved 


v^.^1^ 


/ 


^2^2^. 


Pounding  eott'ee. 


74  THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 

with  enormous  blocks  of  polished  granite,  resting  on  a  thick  bed 
of  niasonry,  and  bordered  by  palaces,  colonnades,  and  spacious  pave- 
ments sheltered  by  arcades. 

"Apart  from  the  water  of  the  canal,  which  sprang  from  the 
{'anopic  branch  ending  at  Kibotos,  a  number  of  cisterns  gave 
Alexandria  a  supply  of  water  in  profusion,  and  the  orientation  of 
its  streets  gave  its  inhabitants  the  enjoyment,  says  Strabo,  of  a 
delicious  season,  thanks  to  the  Etesian  winds  which  blew  from  the 
north,  and,  after  crossing  a  broad  expanse  of  sea,  brought  i)leasant 
freshness  to  the  atmosphere  during  the  heat  of  summer. 

"At  Bruchion,  covered  with  royal  palaces  and  public  gardens, 
were  the  Museum  and  its  library,  where  a  multitude  of  philosophers 
and  men  of  learning,  screened  from  the  material  cares  of  life,  laboured 
in  calmness  and  meditation,  in  studying  and  in  teaching  science ; 
the  Greek  temples ;  the  Soma,  where  reposed  the  body  of  Alexander 
the  Great ;  the  circus  and  theatre,  the  gymnasium,  the  Stadia,  the 
Poseidion,  the  Emporion,  the  Apostasis  and  other  beautiful  monu- 
ments, where  a  turbulent  crowd  bent  on  pleasure  and  a  population 
of  scholars,  artists,  and  thinkers  flocked  together. 

"  In  the  Egyptian  quarter  of  Rhakdtis,  where  we  shall  soon  arrive, 
the  Temple  of  the  Serapeum,  with  its  library  recalling  that  of  the 
Museum,  towered  up  from  the  summit  of  its  hundred  steps. 

"  Tlie  Macedonian  had  taken  a  wide  glance  round,  when,  by  a 
flash  of  genius,  struck  with  the  excellence  of  this  admirable  position, 
which  permitted  of  communication  with  Egypt  by  Lake  Mareotis,  and, 
by  a  well-sheltered  port,  with  the  Mediterranean  shores,  he  selected 
this  site  whereon  to  found  his  city. 

"  A  vigorous  current  of  emigration  immediately  flowed  from  all 
parts  of  Greece  to  this  new  emporium  ;  adventurous  fugitives  from 
Syria  came  here,  mingling  with  the  cunning  sons  of  Judea  ;  workmen 
and  merchants  from  the  Delta  awoke  from  their  torpidity  and  reached 
the  rising  city  in  numbers.  Under  the  successors  of  Soter,  Phila- 
delphus  and  Euergetes,  Alexandria,  rich  and  prosperous,  was  the 
commercial  gathering  place  of  the  nations,  while  its  letters,  its  savants 
and  artists,  made  it  the  intellectual  centre  of  the  world.     Euclid  the 


THE  FAUBOUEG  OF  KAEMOUS.  75 

mathematician,  Demetrius  of  Phaleros,  who  commenced  at  tlie  Musemn 
the  collection  of  books  which  was  destined  to  become  the  finest  in 
the  universe,  the  painter  Apelles,  the  sculptor  Antiphilos,  and  many 
others  gave  matchless  renown  and  lustre  to  its  schools  ;  the  Bible 
was  translated  into  Greek,  under  the  designation  of  Version  of  the 
Seventy  ;  and  later  on,  under  Cleopatra,  Dioscorides  composed  his 
works  here  ;  the  astronomer  Sosigenes  assisted  Caesar  in  introducing 
the  Julian,  or  rather  the  Egyptian  year.  And  now  let  us  go  and 
see  Rhakotis." 

And  the  Doctor,  taking  Jacques'  arm,  turned  to  the  right,  following 
streets  bordered  by  luxuriant  gardens,  exhaling  delicious  perfumes, 
and  so  quitted  the  city  by  the  gate  of  the  Nile,  and  followed  the 
dusty  road  leading  to  Karmous. 

The  market,  or  rather  fair,  is  held,  on  appointed  days,  on  the  large, 
dusty,  arid  expanse  of  ground  adjoining  the  faubourg,  and  there  flock 
Arabs,  fellaheen  farmers,  with  well-filled  money-bags,  their  camels, 
their  cattle  ;  there  water-carriers  and  vendors  of  all  sorts  of  beverages 
move  to  and  fro.  It  is  there  that  the  Karagueuz  goes  through  his 
lewd  acrobatic  performances,  and  where  serpent-charmers  renew  the 
juggling  tricks  of  Pharaoh's  magicians. 

Having  crossed  this  Sahara  on  a  small  scale,  they  reach  Karmous, 
the  site  of  ancient  Rhakotis ;  and  through  the  openings  in  the  double 
avenue  of  sycamores  lining  the  road,  they  perceive  in  the  distance 
Pompey's  Pillar. 

Here  and  there  appear  small  dingy  cafes  with  their  few 
customers.  Dislocated  trellis  work,  half-covered  with  torn  matting, 
shreds  of  old  cloth  rotting  on  sticks  fixed  into  the  masonry,  hanging 
on  cords  stretching  from  the  wall  to  the  sycamores,  cast  a  little  shade 
on  the  rickety  tables,  broken-legged  chairs,  worm-eaten  benches. 
Fowls  peck  about,  pigeons  swoop  down,  reddish  goats  with  white 
spots,  flat  snouts,  long,  flexible  ears,  frail  limbs,  inflated  bellies,  come 
here  for  shelter. 

Hosts  of  half-naked  urchins,  deliciously  picturesque  in  their 
rudimentary  rags,  bound  out  of  dilapidated  houses.  They  raise  clouds 
of  dust  in  the  wildness  of  their  gambols,  wallowing  amid  deafening 


76 


THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 


cries  in  the  ruts  of  the  road,  rolling  pell-mell  in  the  holes  where 
voracious  swine  rummage  with  their  black  snouts  in  tlie  stench  of 
impurities  and  detritus  of  all  kinds,  and  issue  from  them  frightfully 
contaminated. 

Farther  on  clusters  of  boys  and  girls,  barely  covered  with  a  cotton 
chemisette  sprinkled  with  red  and  yellow  flowers,  their  eyes  devoured 
by  flies,  are  balancing  themselves  on  rustic  swings  hooked  on  to  the 
branches  of  the  svcamores. 


c~:> 


A  goat. 


Camels  with  undulating  necks  gaze  vaguely  about  them  with 
their  great  sad  eyes,  walking  silently  with  their  heaving  motion, 
urged  on  by  the  voice  and  gestures  of  sombre  Bedouins  j)erched  up 
on  their  summits. 

Women  with  ravaged  features,  with  sordid  garments,  pass  by  with 
babies  seated  astride  on  their  shoulders.  Little  girls  clutching  their 
gowns  with  the  hand,  a  leather  amulet  round  the  ueck  or  suspended 
between  the  two  eves,  in  flowino-  chemises  of  a  crude  colour,  the  head 


Cafe  in  Kamious. 


PICTURESQUE    MISERY. 


79 


bound  in  a  fichn  of  torn  spotted  muslin,  trot   along   beside   them, 

supple  as  young  snakes,  shaking  in  the  wind  i 

their  fine  plentiful  black  tresses.    Their  little 

arms  are  encircled  with  bracelets  ;  a  smile  ■       I 

plays  on  their  sweet  brown  faces,  casting  a      w^h  ,    i  M' 

gleam  into  their  dark  eyes  ;  their  pearly 

teeth  shine  white,  moist,  between  their  red 

lips,  resembling   drops   of  dew  fallen  on 

gaping  pomegranates. 

You  pass  by  a  butcher's  stall  in  the 
open  air,  composed  of  a  few  planks  sur- 
mounted by  a  weather  board  protecting  a 
vacillating  counter  where  a  few  pieces  of 
blackish  meat  are  drying,  while  a 
child  armed  with  a  palm  leaf  defends 


them    against   an    onslaught    of 
flies. 


'^^. 


Women  of  Karnious.  ^ 


Close  at  hand  a  poor  Arab 
is  striving  to  drive  away  those 
aggressive  insects,  which  are  be- 
sieging a  quantity  of  reddish  stuff 
placed  on  a  tray  on  the  ground — 
sticky  goods  called  date  bread,  com- 
posed of  that  fruit  kneaded  into  a 
glutinous  block. 

Near  him,  in  a  liliputian  sliop, 
,  iH^"  a  woman  is  selling  oranges,  squat- 
ting down  in  the  midst  of  her  fruit, 
which  casts  a  brown-gold  reflection  on  her  face. 

In   the    courtyard    of    a    house    a    psylle — a    snake-charmer — is 


Woman  selling  oranges. 


80 


THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 


installed,  making  his  hideous  pupils  go  throngh  their  work :  removing 
the  cover  of  a  basket  filled  with  woollen  rags,  he  plunges  in  his  arm 
and  draws  forth  a  handful  of  reptiles,  who  hiss  and  twist  about- 
grey  snakes,  vipers  with  brilliant  horns,  eryxis,  scytalis.  He  first  of 
all  teases  them  with  a  stick,  rolls  them  round 
his  neck,  his  wrists,  slips  them  into  his 
breast,  and  makes  the  repulsive  creatures  bite 
him  again  and  again.  He  ends,  by  slightly 
pressing  the  head  of  one  of  them,  placing 
it  in  a  cataleptic  state  and  making  it  as  stiff 
as  a  stick.  To  give  it  elasticity  and  movement 
again,  he  gently  rubs  the  end  of  the  tail  be- 
tween his  two  hands. 

Jacques  stopped  from  time  to  time  making 
a  note  or  a  sketch.  They  soon  reached  the 
foot  of  the  mound,  on  the  summit  of  which 
rises,  lofty  and  white,  the  column  called 
Pompey's  Pillar.  They  climbed  the  steep  as- 
cent, in  a  few  seconds  reached  the  upland,  and 
seated  themselves  on  the  last  remaining  layer 
of  stones  of  this  remnant  of  the  Serapeum. 

It  was  close  to  here  that  Kleber 
'  was  wounded  while  leading  an 
assault ;  and  it  was  at  the  foot  of 
the  column  that  the  French  soldiers 
who  met  their  death  in  scaling  the 
ramparts  were  buried. 
This  colossal  monolith,  measuring  twenty-three  feet  in  circumference 
by  ninety-six  feet  high,  was  erected  by  a  Roman  prefect,  one  Pompey, 
in  honour  of  Diocletian.  The  column,  in  polished  red  syenite,  with 
its  quadrangular  socle  and  crowned  by  its  dilapidated  capital,  on 
the  top  of  which  was  perhaps  a  statue,  is  a  masterpiece  of  propor- 
tion. According  to  an  Arab  legend  it  moves,  bending  in  the  morning 
towards  the  east  to  hail  the  rising  sun,  and  in  the  evening,  at  sunset, 
to  watch  the  sun  speed  away  in  the  western  horizon. 


:=-i2..^ 


Pompey's  Pillar. 


Sii^-I 


A  Snake  Charmer. 


rOMPEY  S    PILLAR. 


83 


Disappeared  !  the  portico  surrounded  by  its  four  hundred  cohimus, 
where  tradition  places  the  Serapeum  Library.  Disappeared !  the 
giant  staircase  with  a  hundred  marble  steps  leading  up  to  it.  The 
column  alone  remains  of  all  those  glories,  a  solitary  and  grandiose 
witness,  testifying  to  the  splendour  of  the  edifice  annihilated  by  men's 
anger,  recalling  in  the  decay  of  the  present  time  the  marvels  of 
the  past. 

Tourists  have  inscribed  their  names  on  the  pedestal,  soiling  with 
their  vain  egotism  this  imposing  page  of  history. 

From  the  high  ground  the  eye  sadly  contemplates  the  Arab 
cemetery,  which  extends  in  an  arid  waste  at  the  foot  of  the  mound, 
with  its  innumerable  sepulchres  made  of  sunburnt  bricks  or  pis^,  and 
its  accumulation  of  flat  stones,  sheltering  swarms  of  scorpions,  from 
beneath  which  a  horned  viper  from  time  to  time  thrusts  out  its 
hideous  head. 

The  two  friends  came  down  again,  followed  by  a  dozen  boys  and 
beggars,  who  kept  at  a  respectful  distance  and  strained  their  lungs 
by  cries  of  "  Baksheesh  !  " 

They  soon  re-entered  the  city  by  the  Mahmoudieh  Gate,  following 
the  Rue  Ibrahim  Pasha,  at  the  rapid  trot  of  their  muscular  little  steeds, 
and  at  six  o'clock  reached  the  Cafe  Rossini,  where  Onesime,  who  had 
rested,  faithful  to  the  appointment,  had  been  waiting  for  them  for 
half  an  hour. 


>i  the   Hclt.i. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

The  Grand  Port.— Alan  Ke'radec  invokes  the  past.— Onesime's  virtuous  indignation. 
—What  he  thinks  of  Cleopatra  and  her  Needles.— Xocturnal  run  through 
Alexandria.— A  trip  to  Ramleh. — One'sime  and  his  donkey.— Across  the 
fields.  — The  Mahmoudieh  Canal  promenade. — Its  gardens.— The  canal 
banks.— Ke'radec,  Jacques,  and  Onesime  take  tickets  for  Cairo. 

THERE  was  a  splendid  view  from  the  front  of  the  cafe,  which 
was  built  on  piles,  almost  in  the  centre  of  the  curve  of  the 
New  Port.  The  north  wind  brought  some  freshness,  and  the  sun, 
which  was  disappearing  behind  the  Arab  town,  cast  its  dying 
lustre  on  the  opposite  shore. 

Onesime  was  not  very  sensitive  to  these  effects  of  nature,  to  this 
child's  play  of  the  sun,  making,  he  said,  such  a  fuss  before  going 
to  bed  ;  he  sipped  the  contents  of  his  glass,  rolled  cigarettes,  enjoyed 
his  far  niente  like  a  man  accustomed  to  it  and  who  knew  how  to 
appreciate  it  properly  :  thrown  back  in  his  chair,  he  inhaled  the 
breeze  deliciously,  listlessly  lent  his  ear  to  the  puffs  of  harmony 
which  escaped  from  the  open  windows  of  the  cafe,  and  left  the 
two  friends  to  their  mania  for  admiring,  and  to  their  historical 
reminiscences. 

The  rays  of  the  setting  sun,  in  a  final  glow,  cast  a  purple  glaze 
on   the   gold  and  amber  tones  of  this  bay,   full   of  graceful   curves 

84 


GEAND    POUT.  85 

and  almost  imperceptible  sinuosities.  In  the  distance  Cleopatra's 
Needle  stood  out  against  the  warm  background  of  the  sky,  slender 
and  rose-coloured  in  its  elegant  splendour.  The  Pharillon,  with  its 
forts  on  a  level  with  the  ground,  gave  a  few  brilliant  touches  of 
reddish  white  which  were  reflected  harshly  in  the  luminous  calm  of 
the  gulf,  where  the  pale  whiteness  of  the  tapering  crescent  of  the 
moon  was  already  delineated  in  an  imperceptiljle  quiver. 

Fishermen  were  hurriedly  drawing  in  their  nets  ;  in  the  water 
up  to  the  waist,  they  formed  a  chain  extending  from  the  shore  to 
a  boat  anchored  a  few  feet  from  land.  The  little  skiff,  kept 
motionless  by  an  old  Arab  with  naked  feet,  white  beard,  and  green 
turban,  standing  erect  in  the  fore  part,  provided  with  a  long  boat- 
hook  which  he  thrust  into  the  sand,  hardly  swayed  to  and  fro  in 
the  undulation  of  the  waves  which  came  to  die  on  the  fine  sand, 
breaking  in  a  thin  silvery  line.  The  men,  with  features  tanned  by 
the  sea,  bronzed  l)y  the  sun,  silently  passed  an  interminable  net  from 
hand  to  hand.  The  last  of  them,  on  shore,  withdrew  the  fish  caught 
in  the  meshes,  keeping  the  largest  and  casting  the  small  fry  aside. 

Poor,  half-naked  children,  showing  their  lean  backbones,  picked 
up  the  latter  from  the  sand  and  placed  it  in  baskets  woven  out 
of  palm  leaves. 

Arabs,  sitting  down,  wrapped  in  their  burnouses,  looked  on, 
mechanically  turning  the  box- wood  beads  of  their  chaplets  in  their 
hands. 

Yellow,  thin,  famished  dogs,  with  pointed  muzzles,  prowled 
restlessly  about,  with  tail  low,  ears  erect,  fangs  sharp,  the  nose  to 
the  wind  anxiously  scenting  traces  of  carcasses  to  devour  in  the 
effluvia  of  the  air. 

Then  all  these,  men  and  things,  dissolved  insensibly  in  a  uniform 
tint  of  a  bluish  transparency,  which  the  twilight  slowly  extended 
over  this  great  tranquillity,  and  the  cold  shadows  of  night  fell 
with  their  damp  veil  over  the  scene. 

"  How  beautiful  1  "  escaped  from  Jaapies,  turning  towards  the 
Doctor,  who  was  also  looking,  with  his  elbows  on  the  balustrade, 
but  looking  as  one  lost. 


86 


THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 


"  Here  we  are,"  said  On^sime  to  himself  internally  ;  "  the  fit 
has  seized  them.  Admiration  is  about  to  be  given  uninterrupted 
sway.  They  have  pulled  the  cord ;  look  out  for  the  shower-bath  ! " 
And  he  let  out  a  puff  of  smoke,  with  a  loud  sound  from  his  lips  and 
a  very  contemptuous  shrug  of  the  shoulders. 

"Yes,  it's  very  beautiful,"  answered  the  Doctor,  "beautiful  in 
the  beauty  of  the  present  and  in  the  souvenirs  of  the  past.     Look  l 


"  Poor,  half-naked  children. 


we  can  reconstruct  it  in  the  mind's  eye,  this  grand  past,  which 
weighs  upon  this  fallen  city  ;  the  scenery  is  still  here." 

"  Ah  !  Here's  the  first  act  commencing  ;  attention  !  The  curtain 
has  risen,"  murmured  Onesime  pleasantly  ;  "  let's  listen  to  it  I  " 

"  Quite  in  the  background,  over  there — that  point  of  Pharillon  which 
is  facing  us,  with  its  two  forts,  the  Mencharieh  and  the  Jews — was 
the  promontory  of  Acro-Lochias  with  the  spur  of  its  breakwater.  At 
the  base  of  this  promontory  probably  rose  the  Palace  of  Lochias,  at 
the  foot  of  which,  enclosed  between  its  two  dykes,  was  the  private 


ALAN  KEEADEC  INVOKES  THE  PAST.  87 

port  reserved  for  the  galleys  of  the  Ptolemies.  Follow  the  curve 
approaching  our  shore  ;  there  were  the  arsenals,  the  Apostasia  or 
royal  storehouses,  and  facing  them,  the  island  of  Antirhodes,  with 
its  little  private  port  and  palace.  Those  rocks,  the  tops  of  which 
you  see  peeping  out  in  the  form  of  a  horse-shoe,  indicate  the  site. 
A  little  below,  and  more  to  the  east,  upon  another  islet  which  no 
longer  exists,  rose  the  Timonium  of  Antony,  connected  with  the  land 
by  a  causeway  leading  to  the  steps  of  the  Temple  of  Neptune,  the 
Poseidion  ;  Cleopatra's  Needles,  removed  from  one  of  the  pylones 
of  the  Temple  of  Heliopolis, — one  erect,  which  we  see,  the  other 
overthrown,  half  buried  in  the  sand.  Then,  still  nearer  to  us,  the 
Caesareum  or  Sebasteum,  completed  under  Tiberius,  where  seamen 
came  before  sailing  to  implore  the  gods  to  be  propitious  to  them, 
or  to  thank  them  for  a  happy  return.  Between  the  coast  and  the 
existing  gardens  of  Antoniades  was  the  Exchange,  the  Emporium, 
the  centre  of  the  commercial  transactions  of  the  three  continents. 

"  Now  if  you  could  sound  the  depth  of  the  gulf  (the  Great  Gulf), 
you  would  find  beneath  the  water,  at  a  fathom  or  two  from  the 
surface,  from  Cape  Lochias  to  Cleopatra's  Needles,  the  traces  of  the 
quays  that  preceded  these  splendid  buildings.  There  vessels  of  all 
countries  came  to  discharge  their  goods  and  carry  away  the  produce 
of  Egypt :  ships  from  Tyre,  built  with  the  pines  of  Sanis,  with 
masts  of  cedar  hewn  down  on  Mount  Lebanon,  with  oars  fashioned 
from  the  oaks  of  Basan,  seats  of  Cyprus  box-wood,  ornamented  with 
ivory,  sails  made  of  Egyptian  flax,  dyed  with  the  purple  of  the 
Hellespont,  with  their  oarsmen  from  Sidon,  their  mariners  from 
Djehal.  Their  spacious  hulls  contained  purple,  lapis,  coral,  and  the 
jasper  of  the  Armenians,  wine  from  Kelboun,  and  dazzling  fleece  from 
Damascus  ;  polished  iron,  cinnamon,  the  aromatic  reed  from  Javan, 
Dan,  and  Menzal ;  rich  carpets  from  Dedan  ;  slaves  and  brazen  vases 
from  Tubal  and  Mosoch  ;  ivory  from  distant  islands. 

''  Boats  from  the  Red  Sea  brought  kids  and  lambs  from  the  desert  ; 
aromatic  plants,  precious  stones,  and  gold  from  Yemen. 

"Equi  from  Gades,  their  prows  ornamented  with  horses'  heads, 
discharged  their  heavy  cargoes  of  iron,  tin,  and  lead  from  the  Orcades. 


88  THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 

"  The  oucraria  of  all  forms,  loaded  with  furs  and  slaves  from  the 
North,  Italiau  wines,  thronged  along  the  quays,  beside  light  liburues 
Avith  two  rows  of  oars  ;  other  powerful  liburnes,  with  their  undershot 
wheels,  set  in  motion  by  bullocks  or  athletic  slaves  ;  galleys,  from  the 
simple  uuireme  with  one  bench  of  oarsmen,  to  the  colossal  vessel  of 
Philopator  with  forty,  measuring  420  feet  in  length  by  57  feet  broad, 
and  numbering  4,000  rowers,  the  thalamites  at  the  prow,  the  zygites 
in  the  centre,  the  thranites,  with  long  oars,  at  the  poop,  ending  on 
either  side  with  double  blades.  Amidst  these  splendid  ships,  poor 
looking  lembes,  frail  epholsces  coasting  in  the  Mediterranean,  mingled 
with  covered  thalamegia  of  the  Nile,  and  with  the  leather  boats, 
lined  with  wicker-work,  of  some  adventurous  red  Gauls." 

"  That  sounds  very  well,"  thought  Ouesime  maliciously,  "  all  that 
little  classical  nonsense  ;  one  scents  the  university  a  mile  off ;  it  has 
a  savour  of  the  library,  a  perfume  of  erudition  which  is  quite 
troubling  for  rather  rudimentary  brains.  And  to  hear  them  one 
would  really  think  that  it  has  happened — that  they  have  seen  those  equi, 
oneraria,  liburnes,  lembes,  epholsces,  thalamegia.  One  would  really 
imagine  they  had  navigated  on  board  those  playthings  all  their  lives 
with  their  thalamites,  zygites,  thranites.  That  is  what  they  term 
re-establishing  the  past !  A  fine  past,  indeed  I  "  And  shrugging 
his  shoulders,  he  hummed  in  thought,  accompanying  the  last  measures 
of  the  orchestra,  which  was  concluding  a  melody  of  Beethoven. 

"  And  now  nothing  !  "  said  Jacques — "  nothing  but  this  isolated 
monolith  on  the  ruins  of  Bruchion,  like  Pompey's  Pillar  on  those  of 
Rhakotis  I  Two  granite  ancestors,  humiliating  for  the  weakness  of 
their  degenerate  descendants  !  " 

"  Who  do  not  even  understand  the  words  graven  on  their  face," 
concluded  Keradec. 

"  There  !  That's  it,  bring  out  the  big  words,"  scolded  Onesime, 
whose  face  was  becoming  overcast.  "  Mock  the  living  !  Incense  the 
dead  !  Pronounce  the  panegyric  of  all  these  antediluvian  antiquities  ! 
It  is  impossible  !  They  must  have  made  a  mistake  in  the  century  of 
their  birth.  They  must  have  missed  their  entrance  at  the  period  of 
the  Ptolemies,  these  praters  of  '  dead  languages '  let  loose  in  the  midst 


onesime's  virtuous  indignation.  89 

of  the  nineteenth  century  I  Don't  they  cling  on  to  the  past  ?  "  And 
Onesime,  whose  face  all  at  once  became  stern,  felt  the  thorns  of 
irritation  which  began  to  prick  his  muscles  ;  he  felt  the  needles, 
the  uneasiness  in  the  legs,  that  with  him  was  the  certain  premonitory 
sign  of  a  storm  which  was  brewing  in  the  innumerable  cells  of  the 
tissues  of  his  person,  and  which  disturbed  their  system. 

"  Ah  I  "  continued  the  Doctor,  "  in  this  down-fallen  Alexandria, 
given  over  to  complete  intellectual  and  moral  disorder,  under  the 
successors  of  Euergetes,  fallen  under  Roman  tutelage,  there  must  still 
have  been  vivid  bursts  of  light  when  Antony,  subjugated  by  the 
adorable  beauty  and  marvellous  mind  of  Cleopatra,  followed  her  to 
Egypt  ;  when  the  amorous  couple,  magnificent  in  their  furious  love, 
ever  in  quest  of  a  fresh  pleasure,  of  a  new  sort  of  voluptuousness, 
untiring  in  their  enjoyment,  insatiable  in  the  immensity  of  their 
desire,  drawing  from  inexhaustible  treasures,  promenaded  in  the  four 
quarters  of  the  city  the  conflagration  of  their  immense  debauchery, 
of  their  unheard-of  luxury  :  colossal  orgies  in  which  the  fortunes 
of  Antony  were  to  founder,  in  which  both  were  to  meet  death,  he 
falling  on  his  sword,  Cleopatra  by  allowing  an  asp  to  bite  her  in  the 
breast  ! " 

This  was  too  much  I  The  measure  was  full.  They  exalted 
Cleopatra,  that  old  coquette  of  Egypt;  they  glorified  vice  I  Onesime's 
patience  was  exhausted.  The  storm  burst,  and  the  dark  cloud,  swollen 
with  his  accumulated  exasperation,  burst  beneath  the  vigorous  eftbrt 
of  virtuous  indignation — and  Onesime's  indignation  was  no  small 
matter.  He  made  a  superb  movement,  his  movement  on  great 
occasions,  that  incomparable  and  inimitable  start,  that  astonishing 
start,  that  sudden,  bold,  dominating  action,  full  of  design,  which  so 
furiously  shook  the  heavy  layers  of  his  hirsute  rotundity.  Sometimes 
to  this  typical  gesture,  which  was  almost  legendary,  he  added  his 
pollice  terso — another  oratorical  movement  which  also  belonged  to 
him,  was  absolutely  his,  but  which  he  only  made  use  of  under  very 
solemn  circumstances,  when  he  sapped  the  foundations  of  religion  and 
spoke  of  placing  Ministers  of  Religious  Afi"airs  in  the  presence  of  their 
Creator.     On  these  occasions  he  was  irresistible;  everything  gave  way 


90 


THE   LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 


"Always  mnimaging  in 
demolitions." 


before  him;  lie  catapulted  !     This  time  he  left  his  pollice  verso  in  its 

sheath.  His  voice  vibrated  in  a  tremolo  full  of  threats  ;  he  used  his 
irony,  his  cold,  bitter,  sarcastic,  corrosive  irony. 
It  burnt.  It  became  impregnated  with  gall,  bile^ 
curare,  and  a  lot  of  other  things  that  were  stirring 
within  him.  It  bit,  lacerated,  smashed — for^ 
when  he  broke  out,  he  was  terrible,  Onesime, 
terrible  !  Terribilis  visu !  And  he  broke  out, 
Onesime  Coquillard,  of  Paris. 

"  What  owls  you  make  yourselves ! "  he 
exclaimed  in  his  sudden  explosion.  "  Always 
upheaving  ruins,  rummaging  in  demolitions,  re- 
building in  imagination  a  lot  of  old  structures 
which  have  seen  their  day,  kneeling  before  old 
ashlars  like  the  negroes  of  the  Congo  before 
their  fetishes  ;  the  shadow  of  the  past  haunts 
your  cracked  brains  and  deranges  them,  my  good 

friends  ;  you  are  hallucinated  with  History  !  " 

"  What  !  "  said  Jacques,  stupefied  at  this  sudden  outburst,  which 

was  quite  unexpected,  "  hallucinated  !  " 

"  Yes,  hallucinated ;  and  hallucinated  more- 
over in  the  worst  way  ! "     And  the  peaceful  pate 

of  the  excited  Onesime  bristled  up.     "  Maniacs, 

if  you   prefer  it  ;    pettifogging   jmtchers-up   of 

anecdotes,  polishers   of  history,  who   have   not 

even  the  tact  to  choose,  but  rush  with  the  nose 

pointing  right  on  to  the  ulcers  of  the  disease, 

and  laboriously  describe  its  loathsome  phases  ; 

when  you  walk  in  such  paths  you  should  look 

where  you  place  j'our  feet.     What  a  lot  of  fuss 

for  a  miserable  block  of  stone  and  a  slut  who 

went  on  a  revel  with  a  soldier  !     But  leave  alone 

that  poor,  ridiculous  landmark  which  has  been 

forgotten   by   the   destroyers,   as   well    as    that 

fallen    creature    Cleopatra,   the   Egyptian   Messalina,  who,  like   her 


"  Yes,  hallucinated." 


WHAT    ONESIME    THOUGHT    OF    CLEOPATRA. 


91 


imitator  later  on  at    Rome,    was  never  satisfied,  not    even  fatigued, 
the  hussy  ! '" 

"  But,  Monsieur  Coquilhird,"  Keradec  ventured  to  observe,  "  this 
Cleoimtra  whom  you  are  treating  so  cruelly,  did  she  not,  faithful  to 
the  instincts  of  her  race,  protect  the  Arts,  restore  the  library  of  the 
Museum,  which  was  burned  during  the  siege  that  Csesar  conducted  at 
Bruchion  against  the  Alexandrians,  and  enrich  it  with  two  hundred 
thousand  volumes  ?  And  that  obelisk,  that  landmark,  as  you  term  it, 
why,  it  is  a  page  of  history." 

Useless  trouble  !  One'sime  was  not  to  be  stopped  like  that  ;  he 
would  not  come  to  terms  when  the  revolt  of  his  good  sense  was  in 
action.  They  had  roused  his  anger,  they  must  bear  it  ;  they  had 
imjirudently  thrown  a  lucifer  upon  his  inflammable  matter,  and  he 
had  burst  out  in  flames  I  They  had  blown  oxygen  on  the  latent  fire  of 
his  drowsy  indignation,  poked  up  the  live  embers  that  were  smoulder- 
ing beneath  the  ashes  of  his  longanimity,  and  the  conflagration  was 
raging  I  Onesime  was  in  full  combustion — Ardet  TJcalegon!  And 
in  the  frightful  rumbling  of  his  phrases,  in  the 
incessant  crackling  of  his  words,  he  roared  out 
burning  invectives  which  vigorously  shook  his 
robust  framework  as  they  issued  forth. 

"  They  were  beautiful  I"  he  exclaimed,  in  reply 
to  Keradec's  imprudent  interrujition,  "the  in- 
stincts of  your  protectress  of  the  Arts  who 
prigged  from  the  city  of  Pergamus  the  treasures 
of  its  library  to  make  a  present  of  them  to 
Alexandria,  and  stock  its  Museum  with  them. 
The  hussy  I  What  would  you  say  of  a  person 
who  robbed  you  of  a  sovereign  to  present  it  to 
his  friend  ?  That  he  was  an  imj^udent  thief. 
She  was  nothing  else.  As  to  your  page  of 
history,  if  all  the  old  books  of  your  Serapeum 
or  your  Museum  had  similar  ones,  the  volumes 
must  have  been  of  prodigious  size  and  have  occupied  an  enormous 
space  I     I  pity  those  who  turned  over  the  leaves.     Don't  bother  me 


92  THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 

with  your  geuteel,  beautiful,  noble  Cleopatra  I  that  insolent  female 
wlio,  instead  of  threading  pearls,  like  a  well-brought-up  young 
lady,  as  she  should  have  been,  amused  herself  by  swallowing  them  ! 
That  wicked  queen,  who  treated  herself  to  perfumes  the  price  of 
a  single  one  of  which  would  have  swallowed  up  a  quarter  share  in 
the  business  of  a  stockbroker  of  our  times,  and  inundated  herself 
with  them  ;  who  sat  down  to  table  smothered  in  a  heap  of  roses 
before  phenomenal  dishes,  and  who  could  not  go  a  step  without  a 
band  of  musicians  at  her  heels  !  That  same  Cleopatra,  whose  rabid 
restlessness  never  allowed  her  to  pause  ;  that  dissolute  creature  who 
disguised  herself  at  night-time  to  frequent  places  of  ill-reimte  with  her 
Antony,  after  having  married  her  young  rascal  of  a  brother  at 
fifteen,  and  thrown  herself  into  Caesar's  arms  a  year  later  I  And  her 
husband,  in  the  meanwhile,  her  poor  brother  and  spouse,  the  luckless 
Ptolemy  XIII.  (bad  number  !),  disajipeared  like  a  nutmeg,  juggled 
away  by  his  tender  sister  and  wife,  and  desj)atched  ad  jjatven  to  sleep 
with  his  ancestors  !  And  the  little  boy  Ctesarion,  the  fruit  of  her 
Cffisarian  love,  was  left  by  his  dear  mamma  in  the  kitchen  with  the 
servant-maids  I  And  it  is  that  atrociously  bad  woman,  combining 
so  agreeably  robbery  and  adultery,  prostitution  and  murder,  ending 
by  suicide,  whom  you  have  chosen  for  a  heroine  I  You  have  been 
fortunate.  Listen,  shall  I  tell  you  ?  Well  I  Your  historical  figure 
is  merely  an  hysteric  figure  !  Your  page  of  history  is  unclean,  and  if 
it  is  necessary  that  it  should  be  written  somewhere,  there  are  special 
gazettes  for  that — in  England  !  " 

In  Cauda  tenenwni !  It  was  the  tail-end  of  the  storm  exhausting 
its  anger  in  this  last  clap  of  thunder,  which  was  to  strike  "^>er- 
Jidious  Albion  "  beyond  the  seas. 

Jacques  and  the  Doctor  laughed  heartily  at  the  virtuous  indig- 
nation of  their  friend,  whose  chaste  bourgeois  instincts  had  been 
unexpectedly  ruflfled  by  this,  according  to  him,  immoral  exaltation  of 
one  of  the  most  marvellous  women  of  antiquity. 

"  Laugh  as  much  as  you  like,"  said  Oncsime,  whose  indignation, 
drowned  in  the  tide  of  his  own  words,  had  given  place  to  his  customary 
sly  good  humour  ;  '.'  I'll  laugh  also,  to  keep  you  company,  and  because 


Street  in  the  Arab  quarter  of  Alesandrui. 


NOCTURNAL  RUN  THROUGH  ALEXANDRIA.  95 

'  laughter  is  the  characteristic  of  man  ';  but  all  the  same,  it  annoys  me 
to  think  that  there  are  many  good,  courageous,  pretty,  amiable,' 
devoted  little  women,  admirably  staid  and  sedate,  who  present  their 
husbands  with  beautiful  brats,  pass  their  lives  in  bringing  up  the 
latter  and  in  coddling  the  former,  performing  prodigies  of  economy  to 
make  both  ends  meet,  and  who  are  never  spoken  of,  whereas  people  do 
nothing  but  sing  the  praises  of  those  ancient  and  modern  wantons. 
Well !  yes,  there,  I  protest  against  this  pernicious  praise ;  it  irritates 
me,  it  enervates  me,  it  makes  me  jump  !  " 

"  Jump !  my  friend,"  said  Jacques  ;  "  you  have  rested  enough  this 
afternoon.  But  let  us  leave  Cleopatra  and  her  Needle  and  return  to 
the  hotel  ;  your  quo  usque  has  made  me  feel  quite  empty,  and  must 
have  roused  your  own  appetite." 

"  Yes,  tolerably  ;  but  as  for  Cleopatra,  that  shame  of  the  Levant, 
that  strutting  historical  slut " 

"  That's  understood ;  we  will  send  her  to  join  the  cataclysm  ! 
There,  are  you  satisfied  ?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  Well !  let's  be  off." 

And  the  trio  set  out  for  the  hotel  standing  at  a  few  yards  from 
the  cafe. 

At  the  corner  of  the  Mahomet  Ali  Square  they  fell  in  with  a  crowd 
of  Arabs  advancing  towards  the  Rue  Franque  amidst  the  noise  of 
daraboukas,  flutes,  Indian  bells,  dominated  by  the  resounding  blasts 
of  trombones,  which  overpowered  with  their  metallic  notes  the  human 
voices  that  were  intoning  a  discordant  melopoeia.  The  men  carried 
enormous  paper  lanterns.  The  procession  was  preceded  by  acrobats, 
and  followed  by  a  swarm  of  urchins  with  lighted  inachallas,  which 
shed  clusters  of  sparks  accompanied  by  thick  black  smoke. 

The  Doctor  explained  to  Jacques  that  this  was  a  bridegroom  being 
escorted  to  his  bride. 

After  dinner  Jacques  and  the  Doctor,  who  were  indefatigable,  went 
out,  leaving  Onesime,  who  had  sunk  down  on  one  of  the  divans  of  the 
smoking-room,  behind  them. 

Night  had    thrown   its  sombre   tint   over  the   brilliant   show  of 


96  THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 

costumes  so  dazzling  during  the  day  :  the  doors  closed,  the  crowd 
became  less  compact  ;  the  sounds  were  muffled ;  the  city  was  slowly 
falling  off  to  sleep  in  the  cool  repose  of  the  night,  which  at  each 
moment  became  more  obscure.  The  darkness  of  the  streets,  vaguely 
lit  up  by  rare  gas-burners,  was  broken  here  and  there  by  streams 
of  light  from  the  European  cafe's  ;  they  were  plotting  there  the 
scandal  of  the  morrow,  or  concocting  between  two  drinks  the  business 
of  the  week;  a  few  readers  were  looking  through  the  European 
papers. 

A^acillating  lanterns  were  suspended  at  the  framework  of  the 
worm-eaten  doorways  of  Arab  cafes,  lit  up  inside  by  miserable  lamps 
giving  doubtful  hght.  Morose  old  Turks  were  smoking  their 
narghilehs  beside  natives,  picturesquely  squatting  down  in  company 
with  Levantines  in  coats.  All  were  listening  with  rapture  to  the 
humdrum  voices  of  the  singers  and  story-tellers,  mingled  with  the 
harsh  grating  of  the  rebecks.  From  time  to  time  a  prolonged  "  Ah  !  " 
plaintively  modulated,  was  uttered  in  applause  of  the  song  or  story  of 
these  troubadours  of  the  East. 

In  the  eccentric  quarters  they  passed  rapidly  before  gambling  hells, 
where  the  dregs  of  the  population  were  losing,  amidst  blasphemies, 
what  they  had  earned  or  stolen  during  the  day  ;  where  the  losers, 
knife  in  hand,  mad  with  rage,  were  quarrelling  with  the  winners  for 
the  money  that  chance  had  bestowed  on  the  latter. 

They  walked  by  other  suspicious-looking  establishments,  where 
a  disgraceful  human  merchandise  could  be  perceived  through  the 
half-open  doors  as  a  bait  for  belated  jjassers-by,  for  desires  that 
were  not  very  refined.  Furtive  shadows  entered,  others  came  out. 
Sometimes  the  prolonged,  heart-rending  cry  of  a  woman  escaped 
from  one  of  these  dens,  followed  by  a  series  of  imprecations  of  a 
brutal,  discontented  male ;  and  hideous  silence  once  more  reigned 
around. 

The  two  friends  hurried  on  their  way,  and  returned  to  the  central 
thoroughfare. 

Along  the  walls,  against  the  closed  shop-fronts,  the  night 
watchmen,   wrapped   in    miserable-looking    rugs,   reclined    on    their 


/!..-.\A'''>^'--^iV. 


A    TRIP    TO    EAMLEH. 


99 


long   palm-libre   cages,  or,  sciuatting   down  in   packing-cases,   yelled 

their  watch-cry  in  the  silence  of  the  night ;  this  cry  flew  from  mouth 

to   month,    repeated    by   each    of    them,    rnnning  along   the   street, 

reverberating  in   the    whole   neighbourhood,    lulling   the  -slumbering 

city  with  its  humdrum  monotony,  disturbed 

sometimes  by  the  moans  of  a  watchman  whom  .     i'*p 

the  courbash   of   the    Sheifkh,  the  appointed  .;|; 

chief  of  the  corporation,  was  punishing  for  "^^^ 

falling  asleep. 

They  got  home  rather  late,  and  found  —  — 

Onesime   and  Reptilius  claiming,  each  for 

his    own    country,    the    glory    of    having         _, 

had  Charlemagne  for  Emperor.     As  the 
argument  was  approaching  bitterness  and 
threatened    to    become    still    more    en- 
venomed, Doctor  Keradec  made  them 
of  one  mind  by  delivering  a  judgment 
worthy  of  Solomon. 

"  Cut  in  two  this  German,  crossed 
with  a  Latin,"  he  said,  "  and  let  each 
take  his  share  ;   he  is  a  Teuton  by 


his  name  Karl,  and  French  by  his    u 
qualities  which  obtained  for  him  the    \|r 


s^ 


Nisht  watchmen. 


surname  of  Magnus  :    Karl  is  your  - 
property,  Monsieur  Reptilius ;  Magnus 
belongs  to  you.  Monsieur  Onesime." 

This  put  an  end  to  the  discus- 
sion, and  each  of  them  retired  to 
his  room. 

The  next  morning,  at  eight  o'clock,  Keradec,  Onesime,  and  Jacques 
were  at  the  Ramleh  railway  station.  An  Arab  boy,  in  a  white 
gown,  with  a  wide-awake  air  about  him,  perforated  their  tickets  ; 
they  were  able  to  examine  at  their  ease  the  rather  stout  station- 
master  in  a  stambouline  and  tarboush,  and  jumped  into  the  carriage. 

On  leaving  the  station  a  few  shafts  of  broken  columns,  brought 


100 


THE   LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 


to  light  ill  making  the  earthworks  of  the  railway,  made  them  think 
of  Bruchion  again  ;  they  passed  a  small,  almost  dried-up  watercom'se 
over  a  little  bridge,  the  only  one  on  the  line ;  caught  sight  of 
fellaheen  villages  through  the  reeds  ;  and,  a  few 
minutes  afterwards,  crossed  the  "  French  lines," 
gigantic  entrenchments  thrown  up  by  Bonaparte's 
soldiers  in  1799,  to  protect  the  town  on  this  side 
against  the  English. 

On  coming  out  on  the  plain  the  view  was 
splendid  ;  it  took  in  an  immense  horizon  :  on  the 
left  the  intensely  blue  sea,  with  its  cliffs  in  tones 
of  burnt  ochre  ;  opposite,  the  Mustapha  Palace  ; 
on  the  right  innumerable  fig  trees,  the  Mahmoudieh 
Canal  with  its  tufts  of  green  and  multitude  of  boats, 
the  masts  and  sails  of  which  seemed  to  rise 
from  the  earth  ;  and,  right  in  the  background, 
Ramleh  with  its  white,  pink,  and  blue  houses 
coquettishly  scattered  amidst  its  gardens  and 
palm  trees.  Then,  close  at  hand,  between  the 
line  and  the  sea,  the  solitary  ruins  of  the  old  necropolis  of  the  Jewish 
quarter  and  of  the  Eleusis  faubourg  of  Alexandria,  regular  quarries 
of  work,  riddled  with  hypogea  constantly  turned  topsy-turvy  by  the 
ereedv  hands  of  dealers  in  curiosities,  while  those  hewn  in  the  sides 
of  the  cliff  are  lost  beneath  the  sea-waves,  destroyed  by  the  ever- 
lasting action  of  a  violent  maritime  current  from  west  to  east. 

After  a  short  stoppage  at  Mustapha,  the  train  went  on  again, 
passing  the  traces  of  the  Oppidum,  the  grand  ruins  of  which,  still 
intact  in  1871,  served  to  build  this  little  upstart  Ramleh,  which 
stands  on  the  site  of  Nicopolls. 

The  three  travellers  got  out  at  the  next  station,  and  made  the 
three  donkey  boys  whose  animals  they  hired  happy,  while  they 
disappointed  the  five  others  who  were  not  chosen.  They  got  astride 
their  smart  asses,  and  trotted  through  this  agglomeration  of  villas 
of  all  colours,  placed  irregularly  and  built  lightly  on  a  foundation 
of  sand.     The  guardianship  of  these  country  houses  of  the  wealthy 


Station-master. 


ONESIME    AND   HIS    DONKEY.  101 

citizens  of  Alexandria,  inhabited  during  the  winter,  is  entrusted  to  the 
honesty  of  the  Arabs,  under  the  responsibility  of  their  Sheikh. 

On^sime  made  prodigious  efforts  to  maintain  a  most  unstable 
equilibrium,  first  losing  one  stirrup,  then  the  other,  clutching  the 
reins  with  one  unsteady  hand,  while  with  its  companion  he  feverishly 
grasped  the  handle  of  his  parasol,  which  acted  as  a  balancing-pole, 
describing  fantastical  curves  in  space  ;  he  resembled  thus  a  fat, 
drunken  Silenus  brandishing  his  thyrsus.  All  at  once  a  i)laintive 
"  Ah  I  "  uttered  in  a  hollow  tone  of  voice  and  followed  by  the  vigorous 
stroke  of  a  switch,  applied  to  the  loins  of  the  ass  by  the  young  fellah 
in  a  blue  gown,  white  turban,  and  yellow  babouches,  who  was 
running  behind  the  uncomfortably  seated  rider,  produced  a  sudden 
and  unexpected  effect,  which  was  disastrous  for  On^sime's  stability, 
already  so  much  in  danger.  Surprised  at  this  doleful  exclamation,  he 
turned  his  head  to  ascertain  the  cause  ;  at  the  same  moment  the 
animal  set  off  at  a  full  gallop,  and  the  unfortunate  rider,  losing  both 
stirrups  together,  letting  go  his  parasol,  with  his  spectacles  dis- 
arranged, his  hat  blown  off,  his  hair  wafted  by  the  wind,  had  only 
just  time  to  seize  the  large  red  pommel  of  the  saddle  with  both  hands 
and  to  clutch  it  firmly.  Frightfully  shaken  on  the  back  of  the 
quadruped,  whose  gallop  was  accelerated  by  the  stirrups  beating  his 
flanks,  he  had  quite  the  appearance  of  a  badly  fastened  bale  of  goods. 
After  a  final  and  fruitless  struggle  to  preserve  this  problematical 
stability,  he  at  last  lost  his  balance,  emptied  the  saddle,  and  spread 
himself  out  in  full  on  the  sand,  while  the  disburdened  animal  con- 
tinued his  course  faster  than  ever,  followed  by  his  owner,  who  ended 
by  catching  him. 

Ont^sime  rose  free  from  all  harm,  rather  confused  at  his  fall,  but 
nevertheless  laughing  at  the  mishap,  while  he  i:>icked  up  his  helmet, 
spectacles,  and  parasol,  which  lay  strewn  on  the  scene  of  his  dis- 
comfiture. 

The  Doctor  and  Jacques  had  at  once  turned  bridle,  anxious  as  to 
the  result  of  the  accident  ;  but  the  appearance  of  Onesime,  who  was 
on  his  legs  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye,  completely  set  them  at  ease  ; 
and,  enlivened  by  this  incident,  at  which  the  victim  was  the  first  to 


102  THE  LAND  OF  THE  SPHINX. 

langh,  they  gave  him  a  little  good  advice,  urged  him  not  to  use  his 
stirrups  and  to  follow  as  much  as  pos(sible  the  same  road  as  his 
animal,  and  then  set  off  again  at  a  slow  trot. 

"  Animal  I  "  grumbled  Ondsime,  looking  askew  at  his  donkey  boy, 
"  let  me  catch  you  warbling  your  idiotic  '  Ah  !  '  again,  and  I'll  warm 
your  shoulders  for  you  !  " 

Farther  on,  a  few  phlegmatic  Englishmen  watched  them  pass. 
They  reached  Bulkeley,  where  the  battle  of  Nicopolis  was  fought  in 
1801,  between  the  English  under  Abercromby  and  the  French 
wretchedly  commanded  by  Menou  ;  stopped  for  a  minute  at  Bakos, 
the  commercial  centre  of  Eamleh,  where  On^sime  got  over  his  shock 
by  drinking  a  large  glass  of  raki  and  water  at  the  Hotel  Pericorne  ; 
then,  passing  along  the  side  of  the  Mosque  and  the  shops  with  broad 
cloth  awnings  in  the  bazaar  of  the  Arab  village,  they  continued 
through  the  fields  and  charming  gardens  of  Seffer,  prettily  situated  at 
the  foot  of  a  rather  elevated  mound,  and  reached  Schutz  Junction. 

Giving  their  asses  a  little  breathing  time,  they  alighted,  and  pro- 
ceeded towards  the  sea,  where  are  still  to  be  found,  half  buried  in 
sand,  Roman  baths  hollowed  out  in  the  rock  of  the  cliff,  and  into 
which  water  only  penetrates  by  a  narrow  opening.  Onesime  would 
have  willingly  bathed  there  if  the  salutary  fear  of  being  devoured  by 
a  shark  had  not  prevented  him.  Far  away,  on  a  rather  elevated 
point  of  earth,  the  blue  mass  formed  by  the  abandoned  Zizinia  Palace 
stood  out  against  the  curtain  of  palm  trees  on  the  Siouf  oasis.  They 
soon  rejoined  their  steeds,  and,  cutting  across  the  fields,  proceeded  on 
their  way  back. 

Lean  bullocks,  with  hanging  fetlocks,  conducted  by  little  fellaheen, 
were  mancenvring  sakiehs,  which  gave  a  sharp,  hollow,  grinding  sound 
as  their  horizontal  brake-wheels  were  made  to  revolve.  These  set 
in  motion  a  series  of  other  brake-wheels,  which,  in  their  turn,  drove 
round  perpendicular  ones,  provided  at  the  extremity  of  their  spokes, 
on  the  outer  circle,  with  jars  of  baked  clay,  fastened  with  cords  made 
of  palm  fibre.  The  latter,  in  their  constant  rotation,  scooped  up  water 
from  the  wells  by  means  of  their  jars,  and  poured  it  into  basins,  from 
which  it  ran  along  narrow  gutters,  dug  at  right  angles  in  the  earth, 


ACROSS    THE   FIELDS. 


103 


and  spread  out  like  the  silvery  meshes  of  an  immense  net  covering  the 
entire  plain. 

Fellaheen,  barely  clothed  in  a  pair  of  cotton  drawers,  their  head 
covered  with  a  hemispheric  sknll-cap  in  thick  white  or  maroon  felt, 
alternately  tilled  and  emptied  the  leathern  pails  of  their  shadoufs 
with  their  copper-coloured  arms.  The  slender  cross-beams  of  these 
primitive  machines,  weighted  with  a  rough  counterbalance  of  loamy 


earth  kneaded  into  a  ball,  and  see-sawiug  upon  pieces  of  wall  built'of 
dry  clay,  rose  and  fell  without  intermission,  drawing  from  innumerable 
arteries  that  beneficent  water  of  the  Nile,  the  foster-father  of  Egypt, 
to  distribute  it  afterwards  on  the  hard  ground. 

Dusky  girls,  with  long  slender  hands,  tapering  fingers,  the  nails 
reddened  with  henna,  a  corner  of  their  garment  between  their  teeth 
to  hide  their  faces,  pushed  flocks  of  turkeys  before  them  along 
the  borders  of  the  fields.  They  walked  slowly,  the  head  raised,  the 
gaze  frank,  and  copper  bangles  clanked  gently  on  their  delicately 
moulded  ankles. 


104 


THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 


Fellaheen  stopped  at  their  work,  leaning  on  their  hoes,  smiling 
with  an  eternally  peaceful  smile,  and  gazing  with  their  great  soft 
eyes.  Beside  them  enormous  sheep,  dragging,  like  cannon-balls,  the 
weight  of  their  tails,  deformed  by  a  strange  growth,  raised  their  sad 
heads  and  then  turned  back  ao:ain  to  browse. 


Labourers,  with  their  gowns  caught  up  to  their  thighs  and 
fastened  to  the  waist  by  knotted  belts,  made  out  of  bunches  of  thin, 
unplaited  strijjs  of  leather,  guided  their  wooden  ploughs,  to  which 
oxen  with  small  horns  and  tawny  coats  were  yoked.     Blue  herons, 


ACROSS    THE    FIELDS. 


107 


white-throats 


white   ibises,  hoi^ped  behind,  and  flights  of  pigeons  swooped  down 
around  them. 

Larks,  lost  in  the  sky,  threw  forth  their  light  trills 
were  warbling  in  the  grey-green  foliaged  tama- 
rinds ;    pink  -  colom-ed    flamingoes    with    curved 
beaks    were   stalking    tranquilly  ;    while    storks 
wandered  among  the  rushes  ;  sedate  cormorants, 
with    their    eyelids   half  closed,   lost    in 
thought,  were  resting  upright  on  one  leg 
amidst  the  reeds ;  turtle-doves  flew  from     /•' 
palm  tree  to  palm  tree  ;    and  high  ^ 

above,  in  the  azure  immensitj',  great 
fawn  -  coloured  vultures  described 
concentric  circles. 

They    proceeded    at    a    walking 
pace   along  the   canals,  amidst  the 
magnificent      vegetation,      growing 
thick  and  fast  beneath  this  burning 
sun,     in     this     warm     atmosphere, 
where  swarms  of  flies,  clouds  of  mosquitoes, 
butterflies    of    all    colours,   whirled   about   in 
the  air,  mingling  their  confused  buzzing  noise 
with  the  thousand  dull  sounds  of  radiant  nature  at  work. 

They  soon  found  themselves  at  Bakos  again.  There  they  followed 
the  line,  trotting  along  the  narrow  margin  of  the  embankment,  at  the 
risk  of  being  crushed  by  a  train  perceived  too  late,  or  of  tumbling 
down  the  steep  declivity  to  the  entanglement  of  branches,  wire  netting, 
rushes,  and  brushwood  covering  the  swamps  slumbering  below.  Then 
reaching  the  beautiful  macadamised  road,  with  fountains  at  every 
hundred  paces,  they  followed  it  at  a  gallop,  beneath  the  shade  of  its 
double  row  of  sycamores,  passing  between  plantations  of  fig  trees. 
Next  they  went  through  the  village  of  Kadra,  where  the  ancient 
Eleusis  stood,  and  re-entered  the  city  by  the  Rosetta  Gate. 

All  three  were  delighted  with  their  little  country  excursion. 
One'sime,  who  had  not  met  with  a  second  spill,  considered  himself  an 


-<im: 


Labourer. 


<i^. 


108 


THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 


aocomplislied    horseman,    "a 


Kosetta  Gate. 


real  Numidian,"  lie  said ;  Le  even 
spoke  at  the  cafe',  after  having 
vigorously  handled  his  fork, 
of  enlisting  in  the  hussars 
on  his  return  to  France. 
Jacques  complimented  him  on 
this  masculine  determination  ; 
but  Alan,  who  was  more 
prudent, 
advised 
him,  before 
comins:    to 


a  decision,  to  wait   until   he   had   had   experience 
of  a  horse,  and,  above  all,  of  a  dromedary,  after 
which  he  would  only  be  embarrassed  as 
to  the  choice  of  the  animal  that  jileased 
him  best. 

At  about  three  o'clock  the  monoton- 
ous calls  of  the  muezzins,  launched  from 
the  height  of  the  minarets,  tore  them 
from  their  delicious  siesta,  reminding  them 
that  they  had  much  still  to  see;  and, 
like  new  Wandering  Jews,  they  went  out 
and  recommenced  rambling  about 
the  streets.  Z' 

The  Doctor  first  of  all  con- 
ducted them  near  the  Mosque 
of  Sheikh  Ibrahim,  in  a  dark 
narrow  street,  where  industrious 
Arabs,  provided  simply  with  a 
pair  of  shears,  a  knife,  and  a 
marline-spike,  displayed  match- 
less dexterity  in  weaving  mats, 
cords,  halters,  and  nets  to  hang- 


at  the  sides  of  camels,  out  of  the  bo^-rush  and  the 


A  muezzin. 


THE    MAHMOUDIEH    CANAL    PROMENADE. 


109 


cortical  fibres  of  the  palm.  The  spike-stalk  of  the  leaf  was  used  to 
make  brooms,  cages,  stools,  and  also  the  kafa,  that  sort  of  long  cage 
which,  covered  with  a  light  mattress,  serves  Egv-ptians  as  a  bed.  Then 
they  hailed  a  cab  and  were  driven  to  the  Mahmondieh  Canal,  the 
favourite  promenade  of  the  Alexandrians. 

Fridays  and  Sundays  are  the  days  on  which  the  elegant  Christian, 
Jewish,  and  Mussulman  society  of  the  city  assemble  there  in  their 
costly  and  handsome  carriages  purchased  at  Vienna  or  Milan ;  and  in 
which  charming  women,  in  bewitching  toilettes,  forwarded  direct  by 
the  best  Parisian  dressmakers,  recline  supinely  on 
the  cushions,  saluted  by  fashionable  horsemen  trot- 
ting amidst  the  vehicles.  Nimble  sayces,  with 
naked  feet,  the  chinval  falling  to  the  knees, 
sleeves  of  floating  white  muslin,  crimson  or 
sky-blue  velvet  waistcoats,  covered  with 
thick  gold  embroidery,  a  red  cap  on  the 
head  with  a  long  blue  silk  tassel  striking 
their  shoulders,  and  a  stick  in  the  right  hand, 
jjrecede  the  equipages,  and  overtake,  inde- 
fatigable runners  that  they  are,  the  most 
high-mettled  steeds.  Great  negroes,  with  cJieeks 
slashed  with  bluish  scars,  are  watering  the  road ; 
and  the  footpaths  are  encumbered  with  pedestrians  of 
all  races  and  all  shades.  Everywhere  the  tarboush 
in  the  way  of  masculine  headgear  predominates. 

This  promenade,  with  the  long  avenue  of  acacias  and  sycamores 
forming  for  some  distance  a  thick  arch  which  is  a  guarantee  against 
the  sun,  is  delicious  ;  and  while  the  Mahmoudieh  Canal,  which  borders 
it  on  the  one  side,  affords  a  pleasant  freshness,  the  masses  of  foliage 
about  the  sumptuous  villas  which  bound  it  on  the  other  give  repose 
to  the  fatigued  eye,  from  the  dusty  whiteness  of  the  city. 

In  this  line  of  gardens,  that  of  Moharem-Bey,  amongst  others, 
which  belongs  to  Nubar  Pacha,  the  Garden  Pastre,  that  of  Antoniades, 
are  really  admirable.  There  grow  in  full  vigour  the  cactus,  aloes, 
daturas,    mimosas    with    yellow    flowers,   red   euphorbia,   acacias,   of 


■--i^ 


A  sayce. 


110  THE  LAND  OF  THE  SPHINX. 

rapid  and  sometimes  gigantic  development  ;  olive  trees,  bananas  full 
of  vitality;  here  and  there  large  scarlet  leaves  stand  out  like  great 
drops  of  blood  in  the  dark  groups  of  verdure.  These  barely  permit  one 
to  catch  a  glimpse,  through  a  few  rare  openings  that  perforate  the 
thick  shrubbery,  of  the  barred  windows,  the  high  walls  of  houses  mostly 
inhabited,  and  behind  which  imagination  assists  one  vaguely  to 
discern  bewitching  odalisques  and  sombre  tragic  incidents  of  the 
harem  ;  there,  also,  are  banian  trees,  a  single  one  of  which  contains 
generations  of  forests,  and  the  secondary  stems  of  which,  starting  from 
the  trunk  and  branches,  grow  downward  to  the  earth,  which  they 
penetrate,  forming  new  trees  which  spread  indefinitely. 

In  the  spring  the  orange  and  lemon  trees  shed  around  their  exciting 
perfumes  ;  the  rose  bushes  disappear  beneath  their  bloom ;  the  male 
palms,  trembling  in  the  caresses  of  the  sweet  breezes,  incline  their 
rounded  plumes,  shaking  in  the  air  the  white  dust  from  their  fibres, 
the  pollen,  which,  borne  away  by  the  warm  breath,  goes  to  fecundate 
the  female  palms  with  the  quivering  stems.  The  oleanders,  the 
bougainvilleas  with  broad  trails  of  rose,  the  multicoloured  pinks,  the 
chrysanthemums,  violets,  zinnias,  jieriwinkles,  snapdragons,  mignon- 
nette,  pansies,  petunias,  narcissus,  jonquils  burst  out  into  tints  that 
are  exquisite  in  their  delicacy  and  variety. 

The  transition  is  sudden  when  one  passes  on  the  other  side  of  the 
canal.  There  Egypt  commences,  the  real  Egypt,  with  its  poor  villages 
built  of  clay,  cooked  and  recooked  by  a  burning  sun  ;  with  its  huts  of 
earth  covered  with  dry  sorghum  leaves,  scattered  irregularly  here  and 
there  ;  its  caf^s  built  of  loam  and  straw  and  rickety  planks,  where 
exhausted  beggars  sleep  in  sordid  rags,  where  poor  peasants  devour  a 
doura  cake  and  drink  a  cup  of  cofiee. 

Women,  in  long  blue  gowns,  fetch  water  in  their  heavy  clay 
pitchers. 

A  ferry-boat  goes  across.  Men  returning  from  work,  women  with 
bundles  of  clothing,  camels  loaded  with  sugar-cane,  asses  bending 
beneath  bulky  bags  of  rice,  encumber  the  deck.  The  ferryman,  an 
old,  muscular  Arab,  presses  in  his  arm-pit  the  well-used  end,  made 
shiny  by  usage,  of  a  long  pole,  the  hook  of  which  is  buried  in  the 


Incident  in  the  Harem. 


THE  CANAL  BANKS. 


113 


mnd,  and,  holding  it  with  his  two  sinewy  hands,  pushes  as  he  walks 
along  the  flat  edge  of  the  ferry-boat,  which  glides  slowly  towards  the 
other  bank. 

Naked  children,  with  their  head  shaved  with  the  exception  of  a 
little  tufted  lock  on  the  summit  of  the  skull,  begrimed  with  mud  or 
grey  with  dust,  dabble  on  the  shore  or  roll  on  the  bank  ;  emaciated, 
surly  dogs  rummage  in  the  ground,  or  bark  in  a  lugubrious  way  ; 
large   boats,   loaded   with   corn,   carrying   a   whole   family   sheltered 


The  Mabmoudieh  Canal. 


beneath  an  old  piece  of  cloth  stretched  out  tight,  meet  beautiful, 
well-appointed  yachts  ;  old  dahabiehs,  with  their  cabins  and  sterns 
immoderately  elevated,  their  massive  rudders,  their  long  lateen-yards 
and  triangular  sails,  resembling  sick  old  sea-mews,  slowly  pass  ; 
weighty  barges  follow  the  banks,  towed  along  by  camels,  or  by  the 
bargemen  chanting  in  a  nasal  tone  a  monotonous  complaint. 

Large  grey  buffaloes,  with  horns  curling  backward,  little  hair, 
wrinkled  skins,  thrust  their  shining  snouts  out  of  the  water  ;  from 
time  to  time  a  grey  heron,  which  has  been  disturbed,  escapes  from  the 


114:  THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 

reeds  ;  a  plover  flies  off  with  a  quick  jerk  of  the  wiug  ;  while  voracious 
white  Pharaoh's  chickens  hover  overhead,  watching  vsdth  their  piercing 
eyes  a  prey  on  which  to  fall ;  taciturn  pelicans  perched  on  one  leg, 
keeping  th  eir  beaks  warm  beneath  the  down  of  their  wings,  are 
reposing  amongst  the  papyrus  near  a  blue  lotus,  the  plant  dear  to  the 
Pharaohs,  which  one  finds  engraved  everywhere  on  the  walls  of  their 
temples.  This  plant,  male  and  female,  whose  calyx  is  the  maternal 
breast  of  the  august  Rhea,  which  sees  the  mystery  of  the  union  of 
Osiris  and  Isis  accomplished  in  that  of  stamen  and  pistil,  that  symbol 
of  immortality,  of  the  earth  again  watered  by  the  Nile,  of  the  creation 
of  the  universe  by  the  waters,  the  emblem  of  Phallus  and  Myllus 
united  one  to  the  other,  is  similar  to  the  Joni-lingam  of  the  Hindoos  ! 

And  far  away  extends  the  luminous  country  of  Egypt,  losing  itself 
in  the  admirable  transparency  of  bluish  distance. 

In  the  evening  they  were  almost  alone  at  the  hotel,  with  a  few 
unknown  new-comers :  the  Cook  and  Son  packages  had  been  despatched 
the  previous  evening  for  Cairo ;  Sir  Hugh  and  Miss  Madge  had  left 
the  day  of  their  arrival,  as  well  as  the  Americans,  and  were  installed 
at  Shepheard's  Hotel  ;  "  Us  "  had  disappeared  in  the  morning,  pro- 
ceeding to  Tantah  ;  some  of  the  other  passengers  of  the  Said  were 
distributed  in  the  different  hotels  of  the  city — at  the  Hotel  Abbat,  the 
Messageries,  and  others  ;  the  remainder,  composed  of  persons  employed 
at  Alexandria  coming  back  from  their  holidays,  or  of  merchants,  had 
returned,  the  former  to  their  desks,  the  latter  to  their  business. 

Jacques  and  Onesime  had  seen  nearly  all  that  was  interesting  in 
Alexandria,  thanks  to  Alan  Keradec.  Jacques,  whose  aj)petite  was 
sharpened  by  this  first  glance  at  the  East,  aspired  to  penetrate  it 
further  ;  Onesime  agreed  to  everything ;  the  Doctor  had  delayed  his 
departure  for  Upper  Egypt  to  be  with  the  two  friends  a  few  days. 
Briefly,  they  decided  by  common  accord  that  they  would  leave  without 
delay  for  Cairo  ;  they  talked  a  little,  smoked  a  few  pipes,  puffed  some 
cigarettes,  and  separated  early  to  fasten  up  their  portmanteaux. 

The  next  morning,  at  9.30,  they  were  at  the  Cairo  railway  station, 
where  the  Doctor,  at  Jacques'  earnest  request,  took  three  third-class 
tickets.     He  wished  to  see  the  fellaheen  at  close  quarters.     Onesime 


T„}k.4i^- 


Women  fetching  water. 


KEEADEC,    JACQUES,   AND    ONESIME    TAKE    TICKETS   FOR    CAIRO.  117 

pouted  a  bit  on  seating  himself  on  the  hard  seats  of  the  carriage,  where 
a  central  alley  allowed  of  passengers  walking  up  and  down,  and  placed 
himself  as  far  away  as  possible  from  a  group  of  Arabs  who  were 
engaged,  on  their  own  persons,  in  a  hunt  that  was  as  determined  as  it 
was  fruitful. 

The  whistle  of  the  locomotive  blew  ;  the  train  was  set  in  motion. 
They  would  soon  see  the  pyramids. 


View  of  Cairo. 


CHAPTER  VII. 


Desert  sand  in  the  carriage.  — Lake  Mareotis. — The  Delta  country. — Kafr-Dawr. 
—Baksheesh. — Damanhonr.  —  Tel-el- Barout,  — Kafr-el-Zaiat. — Tantah.— The 
carriage  is  invaded. — Onesime's  suffering  and  regret. — Benha-'l-Assal. — The 
travellers  breathe  a  little. — Touck. — The  pyramids  ! — The  Mokattam. — 
Khalioub. — Cairo.^The  arrival. — A  turn  in  the  Esbekieh. —  On^sime  imagines 
himself  in  Paris. — The  crocodile  quarter. — By  the  light  of  the  moon. — On^sime 
sulks  with  Osiris. — His  tenderness  for  Isis. 

f  I  ^HE  houses  and  villas  disappear,  and  fine,  impalpable  sand  pene- 
-L  trates  through  all  the  openings  of  the  carriage,  which  is  devoid 
of  glass.  It  falls  on  everything  :  the  travellers  swallow  it ;  breathe 
it ;  get  it  into  the  eyes,  the  ears  ;  one's  clothes  are  covered  with  it. 
You  shake  yourself,  dust  yourself,  wipe  yourself.  Labour  lost !  It  is 
necessary  to  begin  again  five  minutes  afterwards.  The  Arabs  wrap 
themselves  in  their  rugs  ;  the  Doctor  lets  himself  be  sanded  like  the 
Sphinx,  without  a  frown  ;  Ondsime  grumbles,  sports  his  spectacles,  and 
covers  his  head  with  his  handkerchief ;  Jacques  stands  the  avalanche 
without  a  murmur. 

On  the  left,  turning  the  back  to  Alexandria,  the  Mahmoudieh  Canal, 
dotted  with  boats,  runs  parallel  to  the  line,  with  the  Aboukir  Lake  in 
the  distance. 

On  the  right,  the  sun  glitters  on  Lake  Mareotis,  now  an  immense 

118 


LAKE  MAKEOTIS THE  DELTA  COUNTKY.         HQ 

expanse  of  lagunes,  formerly  a  wide  basiu  dug  out  into  large  ports, 
containing  innumerable  fleets  and  bordered  by  fine  country  houses 
by  superb  vineyards,  yielding  a  delicious  wine,  that  was  highly 
appreciated  in  ancient  times. 

For  a  moment  the  line,  like  a  regular  jetty,  advances  into  the 
middle  of  the  lake  ;  the  water  splashes  against  the  embankment  on 
either  side  ;  then  the  Mareotis  disappears,  and  the  luxuriant  country 
spreads  out  on  either  side. 

The  corn  is  waving  as  far  as  the  eye  can  see,  with  squares  of  lucern 
standing  out  in  raw  green  on  its  blond  ground  ;  fields  of  linseed, 
indigo,  sugar-cane,  alternate  with  patches  of  motley-coloured  poppies  ; 
vigorous  vines,  with  powerful  shoots,  creep  over  long  arbours  made 
of  reeds,  and  cotton  plants  display  their  white  fleece  on  the  frail 
entanglement  of  their  withered-looking  branches  ;  innumerable  canals, 
glittering  like  silver,  run  through  all  this  fertility. 

The  wheels  of  the  sa/dehs  turn  without  intermission  ;  the  beams  of 
the  shadoufs  rise  and  fall  incessantly  ;  and  the  patient  fellaheen,  bent 
over  the  ground,  work— for  the  Khedive,  to  whom  the  greater  part  of 
these  lands  of  the  Delta  belongs. 

Buffaloes,  buried  in  the  water  up  to  the  breast,  take  long  drinks, 
then  remain  motionless,  the  neck  extended,  the  head  stretched  forward, 
bathing  their  big  forms  in  this  attitude  ;  others,  guarded  by  a 
mere  child,  browse  in  a  field  or  meadow,  in  company  with  herons, 
bullock-keepers,  some  of  whom  have  the  impudence  to  perch  on  their 
backs.  Here  and  there  is  a  picketed  cow  or  a  lean  goat,  and  swarms 
of  pigeons  everywhere. 

The  train  follows,  without  deviation,  the  bank  of  a  canal  which 
runs  beside  the  high  road ;  there  is  a  continuous  passing  of  men, 
women,  animals  :  an  Arab  galloping  on  his  horse  ;  a  group  of 
fellaheen  in  good  humour  returning  from  a  village  ;  a  woman  loaded 
with  a  heavy  bundle  toiling  painfully  along,  a  child  astride  on  the 
shoulder,  others  clinging  to  her  skirt  ;  stout  peasants  in  easy  circum- 
stances trotting  on  little  asses,  which  they  strike  with  one  end  of  a 
sugar-cane,  while  they  gnaw  the  other.  Files  of  camels  pass  by,  each 
of  them  with  his  head  attached  to  the  tail  of  the  one  i^receding  him ; 


120 


THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 


others  walk  along  at  a  swinging  pace,  balancing  their  bales  of  cotton, 
their  bundles  of  sngar-caue ;  a  few,  kneeling  at  the  side  of  the  road, 


On  the  route. 


groan  deeply  while  their  masters  load  them,  and  others  that  are  quite 
young  gambol  at  their  side. 


KAFE-DAWB. 


121 


Villages  follow  villages,  always  the  same  :  the  hovels  of  poor 
fellaheen,  of  Nile  mud  kneaded  into  a  cubic  form,  with  branches  and 
palm  leaves  for  roofs  ;  houses  of  well-to-do  peasants,  in  brick  made  of 
broken  straw  and  clay  mixed  together  and  baked  in  the  sun,  placed 
against  high  towers  which  are  gigantic  pigeon-houses. 

Goats   sleep  before  the  doors  ;  dogs  rummage  among  the  heaps 
of  refuse  that  are  rotting  in  the  middle 
of  the   road,    or    contend    with   vultures 
for  a  carcass  abandoned  in  the  vicinity. 
Enormous   tamarinds    shelter   with    their 
shade    these    humble     refuges     grouped' 
beneath  their  giant  branches.     Date  trees 
tower  up  among  lebakhs  of  India 
and     caroub    trees,    and    acacias 
covered    with    long    bunches    of 
flower    perfume    the    neighbour- 
hood. 

The  train  stops  at  Kafr- 
Dawr  ;  the  dust  diminishes,  one 
sees  better.  Women  with  baskets 
of  oranges  on  their  heads  ap- 
proach the  carriage  ;  young  girls  offer 
pitchers  of  cool  water  ;  blind  men, 
leaning  on  long  sticks,  implore  the 
pity  of  travellers  ;  and  an  army  of 
beggars  and  urchins  jump  on  to  the 
steps  of  the  carriages,  hang  on  to 
the  doors,  and  deafen  one  with  their 
demands  for  gratuities.  "  Bak- 
sheesh I "  mutter  the  bass  voices  of 
the  old  people.  "  Baksheesh  I "  harshly  resound  those  of  adults. 
"  Baksees  I  "  squall  out  younger  throats.  "  Bassis  I  "  lisp  the  infantine 
tongues  of  urchins.     "  Sis  !  "  prattle  brats  hardly  weaned. 

This  demand  for  a  present  or  a  gratuity,  of  baksheesh  in  fact, 
is  the   rallying   cry  of  Egypt  against  the   foreigner  ;   henceforth  it 


Arab  village. 


122 


THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 


will  resonnd  in  his  ears  from  the  Mediterranean  to  the  confines  of 
Xubia. 

Second  stoppage  at  Damanhour,  the  old  city  of 
Horns,  the  little  Apollinojjolis  of  the  Greeks,  where 
Bonaparte,  who  preceded  the  army  with  a  weak  escort, 
narrowly  escaped  being  carried  off  by  a  party  of 
Mamelukes. 

Zyf^~^  A  branch-line  on  the  left  goes  to  Dessouk,  where 

-i,^//  rose,  farther  towards  the  west,  the  ancient  Naukratis, 
which,  previous  to  the  founding  of  Alexandria,  was 
the  only  city  in  Egypt  open  to  the  Greeks  for  residence 
and  trade. 

After  a  short  stay  at  Tel-el-Barout,  the  junction  of 
the  railways  of  Upper  Egypt,  the  train  starts  again. 
It  crosses,  with  a  rumbling  sound  like  thunder,  the 
iron  bridge  thrown  over  the  Rosetta  branch  of  the 
Nile,  near  the  village 
of  Daharieh,  and  stops 

Kight  signalman.  ^r     £  -\     rj      -j. 

at  Kafr-el-Zaiat, 
where,  taking  advantage  of  a  break 
in  the  journey  of  twenty  minutes,  the 
three  friends  take  a  snack  at  the  buffet, 
regretting  that  thev  cannot  visit  the  ruins 
of  Sais,  situated  a  quarter  of  an  hour 
distant. 

They  are  soon  at  Tantah,  where  the 
fairs,  particularly  that  in  honour  of  Seyed- 
Ahmed-el-Bedaoui,  recall  in  a  coarser 
way  the  scandalous  saturnalias  of  an- 
tiquity. A  multitude  of  fellaheen,  of 
women,  of  Bedouins,  await  the  train ; 
they  precipitate  themselves  upon  the  car- 
riages, which  they  literally  take  by  assault, 
even  before  the  train  has  stopped ;  bursting 
in  all  together  by  the  doors,  which  open 


-^» 


Young  Bedouin  girl  selling  water. 


ONESIME  S    SUFFERING    AND   REGEET. 


123 


at  either  end  of  the  oue  compartment,  thus  preventing  those  who  have 
reached  their  destination  leaving,  they  pile  them- 
selves on  one  another,  pushing,  swearing,  fighting, 
amidst  bags,  bundles  of  all  sorts,  cages  full  of 
fowls,    young   turkeys    fastened    by   the   feet — 
all  these   heaped  up,   pell-mell,   in  one  human 
avalanche  :  it  is  a  regular  Noah's  Ark  !     A  few 
who  have  not  found  room  in  the  inside 
climb  on  to  the  roofs  of  the  carriages, 
and,  notwithstanding   the  stones  which 
the   employes   throw   at  them  to  make 
them  come  down,  spread  themselves  out 
flat  on  their  bellies  and  obstinately  refuse 
to  move. 

The  three  friends  defend 
themselves  as  best  they  can 
against  this  invasion,  bring- 
ing  with  it  rank   smells  of 
sweating  flesh,  of  the 

droppings  of  buffaloes,  of  sick  poultry.      Half  suf- 
focated, they  succeed  with  great  trouble  in  keeping  a 
part  of  their  places. 
^tjf     JyUo         Onesime,  crushed  against  the  woodwork  on  oue 
y'lj^^^^    side,  is  flanked  on  the  other  by  a  stout  Armenian 
schoolmaster  with  bleary  eyes  ;  a  Bedouin  woman, 
whose   smile,    stereotyped   on   her  face,  very  much 
ig  I       \\         irritates  him,  is  squatting  at  his  feet.     She  holds  in 
/    /      /li         her  arms  a  dirty  little  black  pig,  which  grunts  con- 
tinually, and  on  her  knees  an  enormous  bundle.     At 
every  moment  Onesime  sees  the  horrible  little  animal 
rub  its  wet  snout  against  him  ;  sometimes  even,  to 
his  extreme  terror,  he  fancies  he  feels  its  teeth  in 
search  of  his  calves.     The  Doctor  is  no  better  off. 
-^4^,    There    is    no    possibility    of   moving ;    they    are 
A  signalman.  immurcd,  packed  up  like  herrings  I     Onesime  is 


^-      -^- 


A  pointsman. 


124 


THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 


furious  ;  at  a  look  of  reproach  that  he  casts  on  Jacques— as  badly 
treated  as  himself— the  latter  answers  liim  by  that  remark  of 
Guatimozin  on  his  gridiron  :  "  And  me,  am  I  on  a  bed  of  roses  ?  " 

At  Birket-es-Sab  half  of  the  fellaheen  get  out,  which  is  a  relief ; 
the  carriage,  none  the  less,  remains  comi)letely  full.  They  cross  the 
Damietta  branch  of  the  river,  and  at  Benha-'l-Assal— where,  a  little 
to  the  north-east,  are  the  ruins  of  Athribis— a  second  lot  decamp  ; 


Village  in  the  Delta. 


the  three  friends  breathe,  and  On^sime,  at  length  freed  from  the 
Armenian,  from  the  Bedouin,  from  her  pig  and  her  bundle,  stretches 
himself  with  a  sigh  of  satisfaction. 

"  Ye  gods  !  If  you  ever  catch  me  again  taking  '  thirds ' — in 
Egypt — I'll  be  roasted,"  he  exclaims,  grumbling  ;  then  he  breathes 
hard,  and  mops  his  forehead. 

"  Like  you  are  now,"  answers  Jacques,  laughing  at  Onesime 
trickling  with  perspiration,  which  by  a  thousand  streams  has  found  a 


TOUCK THE    PYBAMIDS.  125 

way  through  the  sand  which  the  wind  had  deposited  on  his  face. 
"  You  look  like  a  monument  disappearing  under  the  sand,  or  being 
submerged  in  an  inundation/' 

"  It's  very  funny,  is  it  not  ?     And  you  think  it's  amusing  to  travel 
like  this,  covered  with  sand,  suffocated,  crushed  ! " 

"  But  you  have  seen  the  fellaheen  at  close  quarters." 
"  Alas  ! " 

"  And  have  been  able  to  study  them  at  your  ease," 
"  Yes,  at  my  ease !  Between  a  fat,  stinking,  bleary-eyed  fellow, 
who  flattened  me  against  the  side  of  the  carriage,  and  that  creature 
tattooed  blue,  with  hands  green  with  muck,  the  owner  of  that  horror 
of  a  little  aggressive  negro  pig,  her  suckling  ;  that's  what  you  call 
ease  !  And  all  that  to  make  nice,  pretty,  intimate  little  studies  of 
life.  Well,  my  dear  fellow,  in  future  you  can  make  them  all  alone, 
your  studies  of  life — at  least,  of  that  kind  ;  I  have  had  enough  of 
them  ! " 

"  Have  patience  ! "  says  Jacques  ;  "in  an  hour  we  shall  be  at 
Cairo." 

"  Fortunately  !  " 

Little  by  little  the  plain  becomes  less  green,  the  valley  is  contracted. 
At  Touck  the  pyramids,  roseate  beneath  the  sun,  appear  on  the  right, 
through  the  palm  trees,  against  the  yellow  tones  of  the  Libyan  desert; 
to  the  left,  on  the  arid  groundwork  of  the  Arabian  desert,  are  the 
heights  of  Mokattam,  with  the  Citadel  and  the  Mosque  of  Mahomet  Ali, 
the  dome  of  which  shines  brilliantly  between  its  two  tapering  minarets. 
At  Khalioub  one  perceives  to  the  west  the  great  brick  towers 
of  the  Barrage  of  the  Nile  ;  to  the  south  a  forest  of  minarets,  of 
cupolas,  of  white  walls  ;  the  train  enters  the  suburbs  of  Cairo ; 
villages  appear,  and  villas.     We  have  arrived  ! 

Amidst  deafening  cries  and  furious  pushing,  the  three  friends 
possess  themselves  of  a  cab,  which  takes  them  to  the  Hotel  dAlexaudrie 
in  the  Esbekieh  quarter,  where  the  landlord,  a  friend  of  Kdradec,  a 
charming  man,  formerly  holding  a  post  in  the  Suez  Canal  Company, 
installs  them  in  clean  and  spacious  rooms;  and  he  finds  Jacques, 
besides,  a  large  apartment  facing  north  for  a  studio. 


126 


THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 


After  vigorous  and  repeated  ablutions,  the  travellers,  free  from 
sand  and  refreshed,  go,  guided  by  K^radec,  for  a  turn  in  the  Esbekieh 
Garden — formerly  a  lake,  surrounded  by  trees  and  habitations  ;  at 
present,  after  successive  metamorphoses,  a  landscape  garden  of  a 
rectangular  form,  with  the  corners  cut  off,  surrounded  by  iron  railings 
and  tastefully  laid  out.  A  basin,  with  swans  and  ducks,  has  succeeded 
the  lake  where  the  old  sycamores  reflected  their  thick  foliage,  and 
European  hotels  have  taken  the  place  of  the  picturesque  houses  lost 
in  shady  lanes.  A  restaurant  d  la  carte  stands  on  the  spot  where 
slowly  turned  a  sakieh  manoeuvred  by  buffaloes  ; 
Europeans  walk  along  carefully-  sanded  paths, 
where  Arabs  of  the  desert,  perched  on  their 
camels,  passed  in  the  dust  of  the  roadway. 

This  oasis  is  none  the  less  a  very  delightful 
cool  nook,  with  its  strange  trees  brought  from  the 
interior  of  Africa  by  Doctor  Schweinfurth,  its  blocks 
of  foliage  and  green  lawns,  beneath  the  limpid  blue 
Egyptian  sky,  the  magnificent  Eastern  sun,  which 
bathes  all  its  green  freshness  in  the  pure  trans- 
parency of  its  radiant  light. 

What  affects  the  eyes  disagreeably,  and  con- 
tributes to  take  away  what  still  remains  of  the 
Oriental  in  this  half-Haussmannised  quarter,  are 
the  modern  establishments  installed  in  the  garden  : 
cafes,  beershops,  restaurants,  photographic  pavi- 
lions, etc. ;  the  gardeners  with  their  long  pipes  on  wheels  recall  to  you 
the  watering  men  in  the  streets  of  Paris  ;  the  river  emptying  itself 
into  the  lake,  its  waterfall  and  the  artificial  grotto  surmounted  by  its 
belvedere,  make  you  think  of  the  Bois  de  Boulogne  ;  and  when  from 
four  to  nine  o'clock  at  night  a  military  band  performs  its  European 
repertory,  you  could  easily  believe  you  were  in  the  Tuileries  gardens. 

Jacques  noticed  with  regret  this  clumsy  imitation  of  the  manners, 
this  commonplace  adaptation  of  the  industry  of  pale  Europe  in  the 
former  capital  of  the  Arab  civilisation,  now  accepting  with  passion  the 
vices  of  the  West,  but  refractory  to  assimilate  its  virtues.     Onesime 


An  infantry 


A    TUBN    IN    THE    ESBEKIEH. 


127 


chattered  like  a  magpie,  liajDpy  to  find  in  the  land  of  the  Pharaohs 
something  to  remind  him  of  his  dear  Paris.  The  restaurant,  especially, 
attracted  him  in  an  irresistible  way  ;  the  three  friends  took  their  meal 
there,  and  this  finished  putting  him  in  a  good  humour  ;  when  they  saun- 
tered along  the  walks,  after  coffee,  with  cigcirs  only  removed  to  let  out 
lively  words  and  laughter  between  the  lips,  he  was  beaming  with  joy. 

Stealthy  shadows  passed  by — veiled  women,  whom  Ondsime  eyed 
with  most  impertinent  conceit  ;  men  in  silk  gowns  of  various  colours, 
government  clerks  in  tarboush  and 
stambouline,  soldiers  dressed  in  white. 
The  Venetian  lanterns  and  the  lamps 
hooked  to  the  awnings  of  the  Arab 
cafes  mingled  their  dull  red  gleams 
with  the  brilliant  light  of  numerous 
gas  -  burners.  Beneath  these  tents, 
sheltering  Arab  orchestras,  daraboukas 
were  droning,  rebecks  grating,  guitars 
squeaking,  blended  with  the  harsh, 
piercing  voices  of  the  singers,  ap- 
plauded by  the  prolonged  "Ah!"  of 
their  enthusiastic  admirers. 

From  there  K^radec  took  them  to 
the  centre  of  the  Arab  town  ;  they  were 
lost  in  streets,  where  they  could  hardly 
walk  two  abreast  ;  in  broader  ones, 
where  heavily  loaded  camels  flattened 
them  against  the  walls,  where  donkeys 
crushed  their  feet  ;  they  stumbled  over  formless  heaps  of  rags,  which 
were  the  bodies  of  wretched  creatures  sleej)ing  in  the  darkest  corners  ; 
then  they  all  at  once  emerged  into  streets  teeming  with  people. 

Lanterns  of  all  forms  and  sizes,  hooked  on  to  the  fronts  of  rudi- 
mentary shops,  brightly  lit  up  the  goods  set  out  there  with  their 
streams  of  vacillating  light.  Here  a  fruiterer  was  seated  in  the 
midst  of  the  vegetables,  water-melons,  melongenas,  oranges,  lemons, 
encumbering  his   stall,   four  feet  in  breadth  ;   there   a   saddler  was 


A  street  in  Cairo. 


128 


THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 


actively  engaged  in  finishing  a  magnificent  sky-blue  velvet  saddle 
enriched  with  gold ;  farther  on  a  tobacconist  was  enjoying  his 
uarghileh,  and  speaking  ill  of  his  neighbour  to  a  few  customers 
with  long  tongues  ;  a  woman  was  crushing  corn  between  two  mill- 
stones, while  her  husband  idly  smoked  his  tchibouk. 

They  turned  the  corner  of  a  street,  and  suddenly  passed  into  the 
deep  obscurity  of  the  narrow  alleys,  bordered  by  lofty  houses,  where 
the  succession  ''of  corbels,  of  balconies,  of  moucharabiehs  rose  up  in 

flights  along  the  walls,  hardly 
leaving  space  right  at  the  top 
for  one  to  perceive  a  square 
of  the  heavens  sprinkled  with 
stars.  A  few  rare  lamps  lit  up, 
with  their  dying  and  indistinct 
light,  the  capricious  arabesques, 
delicately  picked  out,  that 
adorned  the  wooden  casing  of 
monumental  doors,  before  which 
swung  stuffed  crocodiles  and 
hijjpopotami. 

Strange  shadows  glided 
silently  by  ;  great  thin  cats 
brushed  against  their  legs  or 
slid  along  the  walls  ;  vague 
forms  disappeared  in  gaping 
apertures  ;  their  footsteps,  muf- 
fled by  a  thick  coating  of  dust,  made  no  sound ;  they  barely  heard,  like 
an  indistinct  murmur,  the  hum  of  the  stirring  street  they  had  quitted, 
which  a  vaporous  glimmer  of  light  indicated  in  the  distance. 

They  were  stranded  in  blind  alleys,  frightful  passages  without 
egress,  amid  houses  that  had  tiunbled  in,  where  the  quivering  beams, 
suspended  in  space,  threatened  at  each  instant  to  fall  down  on  their 
heads.  They  groped  about  on  the  rubbish,  stumbled  among  the  ruins, 
climbed  over  heaps  of  stones,  avoided  the  sinister  openings  of  caved-in 
cellars. 


o- 


A  woman  cnishing  com. 


A  Saddler. 


THE  CROCODILE  QUAETEE. 


131 


Other  narrow  streets  in  the  Crocodile  quarter  had  an  appearance 
as  accentuated,  but  of  quite  another  aspect :  there,  high  carved  doors 
were  half  open  ;    on  the  thresholds,  women  belonging  to  all  races 
simply  attired  in  a  kamis  of  a  raw  colour,  red,  olive,  or  lemon-yellow 
very  low  at  the  neck,  smoked  cigarettes. 

Little    negresses    from    Kordofan, 
supple,  shiny,  with  flexible  loms,  hard, 
pear-shaped    breasts,    firm    stomachs, 
monkeys'  hands,  naked   delicate   feet, 
ornamented  with  massive  silver  rings, 
soon  blended  with  the    shades  of 
night ;  the  whiteness  of  their  teeth, 
when  they  laughed,  made  a  bright 
flash  indicating  the  place 
of  their  heads.  ~^' 

Fellaheen   women,   of 
a  caressing  nature,  with  a 
smile  of  resignation,  tall, 
light,     slender,    tattooed 
with  blue  on  the  forehead 
and    chin,   leaning    tlieir 
backs   against    the   wall, 
were  chatting  with  obese 
Turkish     women     with     thick 
eyelids,  eyes  enlarged  by  anti- 
mony, fat  fingers  covered  with 
rings,  massive  legs,  heavy  feet 
encased  in  white  stockings  and  cramped  in  Parisian  boots  with  high, 
worn-down  heels. 

Thin  Jewesses,  with  olive  complexions,  aquiline  noses,  blood-red 
lips,  brilliant  eyes  beneath  hollow  arched  brows,  of  a  gloomy  coun- 
tenance, troubled  the  passer-by  with  the  intensity  of  their  burning 
look. 

Young  Nubians  modulated  a  plaintive  song  in  a  strange  rhythm, 
gazing  witli   their  great  wild   eyes,  ot   a  golden  brown,  wide  open. 


Fellaheen  women. 


132 


THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 


and  showed  in  their  whole  manner  something  of  the  frightened  air 
of  the  gazelle  of  their  deserts. 

Through  the  gaping  doorway  one  perceived  other  women  inside 
stretched  out  on  mats.  Near  a  chiselled  bronze  brasero  old  matrons, 
squatting  down,  in  black  gowns,  the  collar  being  embroidered  with 
silver,  the  head  covered  by  a  veil,  approached  their  fleshless  hands 


Old  matrons. 


to  the  fire,  seeking  a  little  warmth  for  their  old  blood  grown  cokL 
Motionless  in  a  corner  a  sickly  fellah,  the  shame-faced  servant,  gazed 
without  seeing  with  his  sparkless  eyes  ! 

They  increased  their  pace.  The  cafds  succeeded  each  other  in 
the  street,  badly  lighted,  swarming  with  Arabs  close  together  on 
dislocated  forms  ;  performers  on  rebecks  deliciously  tickled  the  ears 


ONESIME    SULKS    WITH    OSIEIS.  135 

of  tlieir  audience,  alternatively  with  j'oung  ulemas  of  the  Mosque  of 
El  Azhar,  who  attempted  to  recite  delightful  stories  of  their  own 
composition  before  a  good-natured  public,  who  received  them  with 
flattering  applause.  Tea,  perfumed  with  a  piece  of  amber  fixed  at  the 
bottom  of  the  cup,  and  coflFee,  were  passed  round  amidst  the  smoke  of 
tchibouks,  cigarettes,  and  narghilehs. 

In  the  streets,  at  every  hundred  paces,  soldiers  in  iron-grey  cloaks, 
with  a  tarboush  on  the  head,  the  rifle  slung  across  the  shoulder,  were 
smoking  cigarettes  and  watching  over  public  order. 

Keradec  soon  brought  his  friends  into  the  Rue  du  Moaski,  and  from 
there  to  the  Esbekieh. 

It  was  a  splendid  night ;  the  stars  shone  in  the  heavens  with  soft 
lustre,  imperceptibly  veiled  by  a  slight  transparent  vapour,  hardly 
disturbing  the  admirable  purity  of  the  atmosphere  ;  it  enveloped  the 
trees,  the  houses,  the  distances,  with  its  diffuse  light,  accentuating  the 
masses,  softening  the  outlines,  casting  everywhere  a  sort  of  bluish, 
velvety  glaze,  exquisitely  limpid  and  of  extraordinary  softness  to 
the  eye. 

Decidedly  the  blinding  ferocity  of  the  tone  of  the  brilliant  Osiris, 
God  of  the  Sun,  was  not  equal  to  the  downy  touches  and  serene 
amplitude  of  his  adorable  companion,  the  gentle  Isis,  Queen  of  Night. 
Such,  at  least,  was  the  opinion  of  On^sime  :  he  considered  that  His 
Majesty  the  Sun  became  embarrassing,  and  did  a  little  too  much  as  he 
liked  with  poor  mortality,  whom  he  pitilessly  roasted.  Like  a  gallant 
Parisian,  all  his  sympathy  was  given  to  good  Isis,  the  Lady  of  cool 
evenings,  the  dispenser  of  healthy  repose. 

They  strolled  round  the  square,  passed,  at  the  angle  of  the  Boulak 
Avenue,  before  the  house  where  Bonaparte,  during  the  Egyptian 
campaign,  had  established  his  headquarters,  and,  a  little  higher  up, 
before  the  palace  of  the  Defterdar-Bey,  opposite  to  which  Kleber  fell 
under  the  dagger  of  a  fanatic. 

Five  minutes  later  they  were  back  at  the  hotel.  Ke'radec,  whose 
slumbers  were  disturbed  by  visions  of  the  laurels  secured  by  Maspe'ro, 
had  only  a  short  time  to  remain  at  Cairo  and  devote  to  his  young 
friends  ;  he  traced  out  their  itinerary  for  the  following  days.     On  the 


136 


THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 


morrow  they  would  visit  Heliopolis,  returning  by  way  of  the  petrified 
forest ;  then  would  come  the  turn  of  Memphis  and  the  Pyramids  ;  on 
the  fourth  day  he  had  to  take  the  train  to  Assiout,  and  from  there,  by 
the  postal  boat,  reach  Luxor,  where  he  was  to  be  joined  later  on  by 
Jacques  and  Onesime. 


The  Pymmids  as  seen  from  the  Nile. 


CHAPTER  YIII. 

Monsieur  de  Lesseps.  —  Telegraph  and  Gambetta.  —  Bismarck  is  beaten  bv 
]\Ionsieur  de  Lesseps.— In  the  garden  of  Matarieh. — A  picnic— The  obeUsk  of 
Usertesen  I.  and  the  Virgin's  Tree.— The  battle  of  Heliopolis.— Retrospective 
glance  at  Heliopolis. — One'sime  considers  that  the  ancient  Egyptians  were 
madmen  and  the  Greeks  cracked  with  genius.— He  will  not  admit  that  Greek 
civilisation  was  the  offspring  of  that  of  the  Egyptians. — He  reproaches  the 
learned  with  having  at  times  too  much  science. — The  Egyptians  invented 
powder. — Causes  of  the  greatness  and  decline  of  the  Egyptians. — The  petrified 
forest. — What  One'sime  thinks  of  hypotheses. — Jacques  a  deicide. — Ke'radec 
pretends  that  if  God  hides  his  abode  it  is  because  he  desires  to  preserve  his 
incognito,  and  that  it  would  be  wrong  to  seek  to  disturb  him. — Different 
hypotheses  upon  the  petrified  forest :  that  of  One'sime. — A  dash  into  the 
desert. — Return  to  Cairo. 

rr^HE  next  morning  they  had  hardly  reached  the  threshold  of  the 
-■-  hotel,  when  they  were  surrounded  by  a  regular  army  of  donkey 
boys  in  light-coloured  turbans,  red  skull  caps,  blue  or  white  gowns, 
showing  glimpses  of  silk  waistcoats  with  coloured  stripes.  They 
pushed  each  other  as  hard  as  they  could,  and,  by  counter-shock, 
involuntarily  knocked  up  against  their  future  customers.  There  were 
shouts  of  laughter,  exclamations,  a  flood  of  prodigious  words  ;  they 
quarrelled  among  themselves  for  the  three  friends,  pulling  them  by 
their  garments,  seating  them  almost  by  force  on  their  animals. 

"  Good   donkey,   sir,"    said   one   of  them   to   Jacques,   whom   he 

137 


138 


THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 


endeavoured  to  appropriate  to  himself.  "  Fine  ass  !  Good  moke  ! 
Goes  like  lightning  ;  Empress's  donkey  !  '  Gambetta  '  goes  like  steam. 
Take  my  ass,  Monsieur  le  Comte !     Take  Ahmed— good  donkey  boy^ 

Ahmed  !  " 

Jaccpies  allowed  them  to  do  as  they  pleased,  laughing.  He  was 
amused  at  the  sight  of  this  animated  pantomime,  of  this  exuberance  of 
o-esture  and  cries.  The  expressive  features,  the  intelligent  physio- 
o-nomies,  the  iunate  elegance  of  these  young  fellaheen,  their  noisy 


Donkey  boys  of  Cairo. 


gaiety,  their  constant  good  humour,  all  this  "  dash  "  of  good  spirits^ 
interested  him.  He  gave  his  preference  to  "  Gambetta,"  a  handsome 
black  donkey,  clean,  shining,  with  a  fine  head,  a  flexible  neck,  and 
seated  himself  in  the  high  saddle  made  of  red  leather,  sewn  with 
yellow  silk  ;  Ahmed  took  possession  of  his  album,  water-colour  box, 
camp-stool,  and,  sure  of  his  conquest,  threw  upon  his  comrades  a 
superb  look  of  satisfaction. 

Ke'radec  had  taken,  not   without  difficulty   on  the  part   of  the 
turbulent  band,   the   ass    of  a  poor   little  Arab,  who,  after  having 


DONKEY   BOYS    OF    CAIEO.  139 

contended  despairingly  with  his  big  companions  to  approach  the 
travellers,  had  ended  by  abandoning  a  useless  struggle,  and,  standing 
apart,  a  butt  to  the  jeers  of  his  turbulent  associates,  was  shedding 
warm  tears,  while  cuddling  the  head  of  his  poor  donkey.  The  animal 
seemed  to  join  in  his  grief,  and  softly  wiped  away,  with  his  tongue, 
the  shower  of  tears  that  trickled  down  the  cheeks  of  the  unhappy 
little  Abdallah.  When  the  last-named  saw  Kdradec  approach  and 
jump  on  '^  Telegraph,"  his  tears  dried  up  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye. 
He  gave  a  leap  ;  "  Telegraph,"  out  of  fellow-feeling,  did  the  same, 
and  the  Doctor  was  almost  unseated  ! 

Onesime  was  the  envied  prey  of  two  donkey  boys,  each  of  whom 
pulled  him  his  own  way,  and  would  not  let  him  go.  One  of  them, 
Hassan,  placed  the  reins  in  his  hand,  and  endeavoured  to  hoist  him 
into  the  saddle  of  "  Monsieur  de  Lesseps."  His  companion,  Ali,  on  the 
other  hand,  did  his  utmost  to  put  one  of  his  feet  into  "  Bismarck's  " 
stirrup,  and  seized  him  by  the  arm  to  tear  him  from  his  rival.  Victory 
remained  with  Hassan  and  "  Monsieur  de  Lesseps,"  a  beautiful 
grey  ass,  on  whom  the  clipper's  scissors,  no  doubt  in  honour  of  the 
great  name  he  bore,  had  cut  out  capricious  arabesques,  coquettishly 
displayed  on  the  shoulders,  and  on  the  thighs  and  legs.  "  Monsieur  de 
Lesseps  "  was  really  very  bewitching,  with  his  open  woven  stockings 
and  embroidered  mittens  ;  a  sort  of  little  rebellious  tuft  waved  proudly 
on  the  tojj  of  his  head,  and  small  tassels  of  the  same  quivered  at  the 
extremity  of  his  ears. 

Onesime,  worthy  and  imposing,  fixed  in  his  saddle,  was  proud 
of  his  mount,  and  the  latter,  without  doubt,  was  proud  of  the  noble 
appearance  of  his  rider. 

Hassan,  like  a  thrifty  fellah,  had  removed  his  babouches  and 
held  them  in  his  hand  ;  Onesime  formally  recommended  him  to  put 
away  his  plaintive  "  Ah  I  "  along  with  his  babouches,  under  the 
penalty  of  not  receiving  baksheesh  if  he  disobeyed,  and,  for  greater 
security,  mindful  of  his  misadventure  at  Ramleh,  he  borrowed  his 
stick. 

"  Bismarck,"  beaten,  returned  with  drooping  ears,  with  Ali,  among 
the  group  of  rejected  donkey  boys.     Onesime  had  begun  the  revenge 


140  THE  LAND  OF  THE  SPHINX. 

under  happy  auspices  :  "  Monsieur  de  Lesseps  "  had  beaten  Bismarck  ; 
France  had  won  the  first  heat  ! 

The  scuflfle  was  at  an  end.  Once  the  riders  in  their  saddles, 
the  squadron  swayed,  then  started  off  at  a  gallop,  raising  a  cloud 
of  dust,  in  the  direction  of  Heliopolis,  amidst  the  sonorous  shouts 
of  "  Guarda  I  yaminec  !  choumalec  !  "  of  the  donkey  boys  running 
behind  the  animals  ;  the  passers-by  made  way  in  the  road,  leaving 
the  place  free  to  the  spirited  cavalcade  launched  at  fall  speed. 

They  were  soon  on  the  road  to  Abassieh.  Turning  to  the  left, 
they  crossed  the  Khalig  ;  arrived  in  front  of  the  former  Mosque 
of  Gama-el-Dhaber,  transformed  into  a  guard-house  ;  then  fell  into 
the  old  road  to  Abassieh,  bordered  by  acacias,  which  passed  in 
front  of  the  massive  Palace  of  the  same  name,  comprising  the 
Polytechnic  School,  the  Military  School,  the  Observatory,  and 
close  to  which  was  the  old  racecourse. 

After  a  brief  halt  the  party,  slackening  speed,  follows  the  edge 
of  the  desert ;  the  road  is  dry,  dusty,  the  air  hot,  the  sun  strikes 
fiercely.  Onesime,  forming  the  rearguard,  cooks  gently  in  his  juice, 
notwithstanding  his  parasol;  Jacques'  back  is  roasted;  Keradec  is 
at  the  head,  with  the  happy  Abdallah  skipping,  chattering,  beside 
him,  di^^ding  his  careful  attentions  between  the  Doctor  and 
"  Telegraph,"  who  behaves  very  worthily,  like  an  ass  that  feels 
that  he  has  a  man  of  learning  on  his  back.  They  breathe  a  little 
when,  leaving  the  border  of  the  desert,  they  come  into  the  lane, 
bordered  by  a  hedge  of  lemon  trees,  which  leads  to  the  Viceroy's 
Palace.  From  that  point  the  road  crosses  the  fertile  and  well- 
cultivated  plain  of  Matarieh,  all  covered  with  magnificent  gardens, 
and  at  last  they  stop  at  that  of  the  Virgin's  Tree.  This,  with  the 
fields  surrounding  it,  is  watered  by  a  sakieh  which  draws  up  the 
element  from  the  bottom  of  a  well  ;  they  put  foot  to  ground  close 
to  the  palings  that  surround  Mary's  sycamore. 

After  having  rested  here  for  a  moment  in  the  shade  of  the  old 
tree,  with  its  mutilated  trunk,  which  is  covered  with  all  sorts'  of  in- 
scriptions, Keradec  and  Jacques  went  for  a  stroll  in  the  environs. 
Onesime  made   Hassan  bring  him   a  jug   of  fresh  cool  water,  took 


Street  in  Cairo. 


IN  THE  GARDEN  OF  MATAEIEH. 


143 


some  long  draughts  from  it,  then  stretched  himself  out  comfortably 
ou  the  grass  in  the  shade  of  the  acacias,  and,  his  head  covered 
with  his  pocket-handkerchief,  as  a  protection  against  mosquitoes, 
awaited  the  return  of  his  two  friends.  Ahmed  and  Ahdallah, 
installed  some  distance  oiF,  took  a  few  bits  of  bread  from  their 
pockets,  and  began  munching  it  beside  their  unbridled  animals. 


y/i^j-i 


4>  <^'i^''* 


_-«'     ' 


/  4^. 


The  Virgin's  Tree. 


AVhen  Alan  and  Jacques  returned,  after  having  had  a  look  at 
the  obelisk,  recognised  a  few  vestiges  of  inferior  temples,  and  met 
with  some  remains  of  sphinxes,  they  found  One'sime  sleeping  like 
one  of  the  blessed,  and  Abdallah  was  doing  the  same  between 
the  legs  of  "  Telegraph "  ;  Hassan,  after  having  wiped  "  Monsieur 
de  Lesseps  "  and  watered  him,  was  giving  him  some  crusts  of  bread 


144  THE  LAND  OF  THE  SPHINX. 

while  fondling  his  good  old  head  ;  Ahmed  had  removed  the  saddle 
from  "  Gambetta "  and  was  rolling  on  the  ground  with  him,  a 
game  that  seemed  to  please  both  of  them  a  great  deal. 

The  provisions  were  placed  on  a  nice  white  table-cloth,  spread  in 
the  shade  of  a  grove  of  lemon  and  orange  trees,  on  the  ground,  by 
Hassan,  who  had  appointed  himself  butler  to  the  expedition,  ^hile 
Ahmed  brought  a  pitcher  full  of  limpid  water,  drawn  at  the  well 
of  the  neighbouring  sakieh.  They  awoke  On^sime,  and  a  smile 
overspread  his  jovial  face  at  the  tempting  sight  of  the  table  set  out 
and  of  his  two  friends  only  waiting  for  him  to  commence  the  feast. 

In  this  shady  corner,  cool,  perfumed,  they  made  a  repast  of 
sybarites.  The  excellent  coffee  that  the  ingenious  Hassan  had 
prepared  was  served  by  him  and  received  with  enthusiasm  ;  then, 
with  the  cheerful  calm  and  benevolent  serenity  of  persons  who  have 
a  clear  conscience,  a  full  stomach,  robust  health,  and  an  inexhaustible 
fund  of  good  humour,  the  three  Gauls  began  to  talk  nonsense  in 
the  most  amiable  and  witty  manner  imaginable.  Alan  rolled 
cigarettes  and  risked  the  most  daring  hypotheses  ;  Jacques,  between  a 
couple  of  puffs  of  his  pipe,  rivalled  him  in  ardour,  piling  paradoxes  on 
paradoxes  ;  Onesime  blissfully  followed  with  the  eye  the  bluish  spiral 
smoke  of  his  cigar,  an  occupation  that  seemed  to  interest  him  infinitely 
more  than  the  fantastic  speculations  of  his  two  neighbours. 

They  at  last  tore  themselves  away,  with  regret,  from  this  sweet 
retreat.  The  trio  lazily  made  their  way,  across  some  insignificant 
ruins,  towards  the  unique  monument  of  Usertesen. 

"  But,  Doctor,  you  have  brought  us  into  a  regular  wasps'  nest," 
said  Onesime,  pointing  to  the  monolith,  covered  with  the  nests  of  the 
mason-wasp. 

"  This  wasps'  nest,  Monsieur  Ondsime,  is  the  most  ancient  obelisk 
known  in  Egypt  ;  and  here  we  are  on  the  spot  where  formerly  stood, 
in  all  its  splendour,  the  most  ancient  city  in  the  world." 

"And  of  this  old  and  snperb  city,"  inquired  Jacques,  "there 
remains  nothing,  nothing  but  this  obelisk  and  these  few  ruins  ?  " 

"  Nothing  but  this  vienkir,  of  a  geometric  form,  with  architectural 
-pretensions  ?  "  continued  Onesime. 


OBELISK    OF    USEETESEN    I.    AND    THE    VIKGIN's    TREE.         145 


"  Nothing  !  The  wish  of  Amenemhat  I.,  the  founder  of  the  Temple 
of  the  Sun,  who  exclaimed,  on  laying  the  foundation  stone  :  '  Let  it  not 
be  destroyed  in  any  space  of  time !  Once  completed  let  it  last ! '  was 
not  realised  ;  and  the  heinous  prediction  of  Jeremiah,  the  prophet  of 
the  Jews,  Hhose  vile  Asiatics,  those  accursed,  those  leprous,  those 
pestiferous  creatures,'  as  the  Egyptians  reviled  them,  was  un- 
fortunately  accomplished  ! 

"  Chap,  xliii.,  ver.  13  :  'He  will  also  break  the  statues  of  the  house 
of  the  Sun,  which  is  in  the  laud  of  Egypt,  and         ,.-% 
he  will  burn  with  fire  the  houses  of  the  gods 
of  Egypt.' 

"  Only   the    obelisk    of    Usertesen    I.,    es- 
caped from  the  anger  of  the  God  of  the  Jews, 
put  into  effect  by  the  vandalism  of  the  Arabs, 
has    remained    to   indicate  the    site    of    the 
venerable    city,   near    that   sycamore,   in   the 
shade  of  which,  according  to  the  legend,  the 
Virgin    and  the   infant   Christ  rested  during 
the  flight  to   Egypt,  and  in  the 
hollow  trunk  of  which   they  hid 
themselves  to  avoid  those  sent  in 
pursuit  of  them ;  a  spider,  that 
had  spun  its  web  at  the  opening, 
shielded  them  from  the  sight  of 
their     persecutors.      As    to    the 
small    spring  that   runs    at    the 
bottom  of  the  well  that  you  see  there, 
tradition   has   it   that  the  Virgin  there 
washed    the    swaddling    clothes   of  the 

Saviour  ;    it  is  added  that  everywhere  where  a  drop  of  water  fell 
from  the  linen  a  balsam  tree  grew." 

"  That's  an  origin  for  the  balsam  tree  that  sounds  somewhat  like 
a  fable.  Monsieur  K^radec." 

"  If  the  legend  does  not  please  you,  you  can  take  history,  which 
teaches  you  that  Cleopatra  brought  the  balsam  tree  from  Judea." 

10 


Obelisk  of  Usertesen. 


146  THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 

"Where  she,  no  doubt,  went  to  iplay  some  of  her  pranks," 
interrupted  On^sime. 

"  Something  of  the  kind,"  replied  Alan,  laughing  ;  "  she  had  gone 
to  try  the  power  of  her  charms  on  Herod." 

"  The  provoking  strumpet ! " 

"  I  see  she  pleases  you  no  more  than  this  obelisk,  this  menhir  of  a 
geometric  form,  as  you  term  it." 

"  I  much  prefer  the  latter;  it  at  least  keeps  itself  straight,  although 
it  doesn't  say  much." 

"  If  the  obelisk  of  Usertesen  could  speak,  Monsieur  Coquillard,  it 
.would  say  that  they  are,  by  the  legend  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  super- 
seding Osiris,  who,  at  first,  hid  in  the  trunk  of  a  tree,  and  that  the 
element  that  watered  the  ground  beside  it  had  made  balsam  trees 
grow  thousands  of  years  before  Christ  \  that,  long  before,  Osiris  had 
sent  his  son  Horus  on  earth  to  save  mankind  by  spilling  his  blood,  as 
Jesus  had  redeemed  the  world  on  the  cross  ;  that  people  took  com- 
munion from  him,  that  divine  Lord,  before  taking  communion  from 
the  Son  of  God.  It  would  relate  also  the  sanguinary  battle  fought 
on  the  plain  of  Heliopolis,  when  on  March  19th,  1800,  in  an  heroic 
struggle,  8,000  Frenchmen,  commanded  by  Kleber,  dispersed  80,000 
Turks  urged  on  against  us  by  England,  after  the  Convention  of 
El  Arish,  and  it  would  express  astonishment  that  the  souvenir  of  this 
glorious  passage  of  arms  had  not  effaced,  even  to  the  last  vestiges,  the 
pale  Christian  legend  that  has  taken  shelter  in  the  shade  of  the  old 
tree,  wasted  and  worn  out  with  age." 

"  And  it  would  not  be  wrong,"  said  Jacques ;  "  legends  are  the 
splutterings  of  humanity  in  the  cradle,  and  history  is  the  manly 
language  of  adult  nations  :  to  return  to  legends  is  to  fall  back  into 
infancy,  and  the  world  is  not  old  enough  yet  for  that  1  " 

"  So,"  said  Kdradec,  "  let  us  leave  this  legend,  more  or  less  apocry- 
phal, in  its  swaddling  clothes,  and  talk  a  little  about  Heliopolis,  or  AN^ 
as  the  Egyptians  called  it,  the  OiV  of  the  Hebrews,  the  city  consecrated 
to  Toum-Harmakhis  (the  rising  sun,  the  setting  sun),  the  City  of  the 
Sun,  with  its  grand  temples  approached  by  interminable  avenues  of 
sphinxes,  with  innumerable  obelisks  before  them. 


BETROSPECTIVE    GLANCE    AT    HELIOPOLIS.  147 

"  It  was  here  that  the  benuoii,  the  plicenix  with  the  gold  and  crimson 
phimage,  unique  and  without  a  mate,  came  from  Arabia  every  five 
hundred  years  to  expire  and  be  re-born  of  its  own  ashes  on  the  altar  of 
the  Sun ;  here  that  the  lion  with  the  luminous  coat,  with  the  golden 
claws,  wearing  round  his  neck  triple  collars  of  precious  stones,  in  his 
ears  pendants  of  gold  enriched  with  emeralds  from  Ethiopia,  and  the 
ox  Mn^vis,  with  the  black  and  bristling  hair,  whose  horns  were 
gilded  and  the  points  ornamented  with  turquoises  from  Sinai,  his 
body  partly  covered  with  plates  of  delicately  chiselled  gold  sewn  with 
chalcedony  from  Thebes,  delivered  their  oracles, — revered  animals  that 
were  fed  by  special  officers  of  an  elevated  rank,  whose  post  was 
hereditary,  honoured  and  envied  ;  having  their  bathers,  perfumers, 
hairdressers,  valets,  to  attend  to  their  toilet,  to  satisfy  the  caprices  of 
their  coquetry;  their  painters  to  reproduce  their  pictures  ;  their  sculptors 
to  chisel  their  sacred  features ;  their  scribes  to  relate  their  deeds  and 
gestures ;  their  harems  and  their  eunuchs  entrusted  with  the  duty  of 
providing  for  their  august  amours ;  their  singers,  their  musicians,  to 
charm  their  leisure  ;  their  thurifers  to  burn  incense  around  them? 
their  priests  to  sing  hymns  in  their  honour;  and  a  whole  people  to 
kneel  down  before  them  and  spread  out  carpets  on  their  way,  respect- 
ing them  to  such  a  point  that,  in  times  of  famine,  men  ate  each  other 
rather  than  touch  the  food  of  their  adored  animals,  who  wanted  for 
nothing  ;  that  their  death  was  a  signal  for  public  mourning ;  that,  in 
equality  with  the  Kings,  they  were  embalmed  with  prodigious  luxury 
and  placed  in  splendid  sepulchres  ;  and  that,  like  the  gods,  they  shared 
divine  honours." 

"  Good  gracious  !  but  those  people  were  mad,"  said  On^sime, 
"mad  as  hatters  !  Egypt  was  the  Bedlam  of  Africa;  its  inhabitants 
had  all  a  tile  loose.  The  monsters  !  Eat  each  other  in  the  presence 
of  an  enormous  beefsteak  on  hoofs,  of  indecent  corpulency  !  But  it  was 
pyramidal  !  It  was  pure  anthropopliagy,  without  attenuating  circum- 
stances too  !     The  wretches  had  lost  their  brains." 

"  Not  at  all,  my  dear  Monsieur  Onesime  ;  the  Egyptians  only  lost 
their  brains  after  their  death,  when  the  embalmers,  with  an  oblique 
iron,  drew  them  out  of  their  nostrils." 


148  THE  LAND  OF  THE  SPHINX. 

"  It  must  have  been  a  regular  sinecure  then,  and  their  obh'que  iron 
must  often  have  searched  in  emptiness." 

"  The  Greeks  thought  quite  differently  of  the  Egyptians,  Monsieur 
Coquillard  ;  Eudoxus  and  Plato  came  to  study  astronomy  at  this  very 
place,  at  Heliopolis." 

"  Another  nation  of  cracked  people,  your  Greeks  !  " 

"  The  Greeks  ! "  exclaimed  Jacques ;  "they  are  the  heroic,  intelligent, 
artistic,  learned  nation  par  excellence  !  " 

"  Speak  in  the  past  tense,  if  you  please." 

"  That  nation  was " 

"  Yes,  was— /^«Y " 

"  The  Prometheus  of  humanity." 

"  Its  weakness  is  now  the  object  of  the  pity  of  Europe." 

"After  having  been  by  its  genius  the  cause  of  its  greatness. 
Respect  must  be  shown  for  such  ancients,  and  not  pity ;  the  ungrate- 
ful sons  of  the  Germans,  the  Dacians,  Britons,  Sarmatians,  and  Latins, 
forgetful  of  the  services  rendered  in  antiquity,  must  not  come  and  bite 
the  breast  of  the  sublime  wet-nurse,  where  their  ancestors  sucked  the 
sacred  milk  which,  from  barbarians  that  they  were,  made  them  men  ; 
all  must,  like  the  grateful  children  of  the  Gauls,  pay  their  debt  to  old 
Hellas  by  guiding  the  tottering  steps  of  her  descendants ;  their  weak- 
ness must  be  protected,  and  not  threatened." 

"  To  enlighten  the  groping  efforts  of  Greece,  clearing  her  road  in  the 
present,  guiding  her  aspirations  towards  the  future,"  said  Kdradec,  "is 
to  bring  another  element  to  the  great  work  of  civilisation,  and  one  of 
the  most  fruitful  !  Greece,  as  well  gifted  now  as  formerly,  brave, 
learned,  philosophic,  artistic,  awakening  from  her  long  slumber,  seeks 
to  join  the  past  to  the  present  and  to  continue  the  glorious  tradition  of 
times  that  have  disappeared." 

"  It  is  only  Hercules  who  could  have  brought  this  work  to  a  good 
end,  and  he  will  not  spring  up  again  from  his  ashes,  like  the  bennou," 
said  Onesime. 

"  That's  true  ;  but  he  has  left  descendants  who -" 

"  Delight  idlers  at  the  fairs  ;  an  agglomeration  of  muscles  that 
.has  extinguished  the  brain,"  interrupted  Ondsime. 


CIVILISATION    OF    THE    ANCIENT    EGYPTIANS.  149 

"Who  desire  nothing  better  than  to  follow  in  his  footsteps," 
continned  the  Doctor  ;  "  and  it  is  here,  among  these  madmen,  as  you 
call  them,  that  the  philosophers  of  Greece,  then  in  full  bloom,  came 
to  ask  the  priests  of  Egypt  on  the  decline  for  the  elements  of  that 
wisdom  which  had  been  bequeathed  to  them  by  the  servants  of 
Horus." 

"  Or  rather  to  ascertain  the  degree  of  folly  they  had  reached." 

"  Perhaps  !  Nevertheless  they  adajjted  those  principles  to  their 
versatile  genius  ;  their  brilliant  imagination  transformed  them  ;  their 
light-hearted  scepticism  stripped  them  of  the  mystic  formulas  that 
enveloped  them  ;  their  common  sense,  so  precise,  threw  light  on  the 
obscurities,  lopped  off  the  excrescences  ;  their  fascinating  elegance, 
their  harmonious  language,  propagated  ideas,  casting  to  the  four 
corners  of  the  globe  that  triple  germ  of  human  thought,  science,  and 
art,  the  development  of  which  was  to  give  expression  to  our  modern 
civilisation." 

"  I  consider  it  very  amusing  all  the  same  on  the  part  of  that  good 
old  Attica,  coming  to  ask  Egypt  how  to  behave  decently  in  life. 
Ogres  conducting  a  philosophy  class  !  Mummy-manufacturers,  who 
put  the  bodies  of  their  relatives  '  up  the  spout,'  undertakers  teaching 
the  science  of  life  !  Imbecile  scribes,  forerunners  of  Aristophanes  ! 
Interminable  litanies  of  an  idiotic  ritual,  preparing  the  work  of 
iEschylus  !  Egyptian  fables,  inspiring  Homer  !  Hierogrammatists 
with  their  hieroglyphics,  dry  daubers  of  profiles,  stiff  stone-scrapers, 
clumsy  sculptors  of  baboons  on  a  large  scale,  constructors  of  chambers 
in  the  pyramids,  forerunners  of  an  Apelles,  of  a  Phidias,  of  the  sub- 
lime architect  of  the  Parthenon  I  These  surveyors  of  nomes  assisting 
Diophantes  to  work  out  his  theorems,  giving  lessons  to  Euclid ! 
These  ungainly  adorers  of  animals  teaching  esthetics  to  that  noble, 
beautiful,  elegant  race,  which  had  the  sentiment  of  art  innate  in  its 
mind,  or  in  the  blood,  whose  brain  produced  the  myth  of  Prometheus, 
casting  immortal  masterpieces  about  in  profusion  I  You  might  as 
well  say  at  once  that  this  obelisk  is  the  primal  type  of  the  Pallas 
Athene  of  Phidias,  or  the  Faun  of  Praxiteles." 

"  Yes,  indeed,  Monsieur  Coquillard." 


150  THE  LAND  OF  THE  SPHINX. 

"You  decidedly  know  too  much,  you  gentlemen  of  learning;  you 
are  able,  like  the  Almighty,  to  make  something  out  of  nothing  ;  more 
powerful  than  Moses,  who  by  the  blow  of  a  stick  caused  water  to  spurt 
from  a  rock,  you  make  wisdom  flow  from  folly.  Continue,  my  dear 
scholar;  explain  us  all  these  mysteries,  divulge  to  us  all  the  secrets 
that  the  monuments  of  your  old  friend  ^gyptos  have  murmured  in 
your  ear  ;  tell  us  what  the  Colossi  of  Memnon  related  to  you  at 
sunrise,  what  the  granite  Sphinxes  of  Karnac  confided  to  you  !  Trans- 
late to  us  the  most  intimate  confessions  of  this  solitary  obelisk  and  of 
this  old  sycamore,  relics  of  a  religion  that  has  disappeared  and  of 
another  that  is  agonising  ;  and  if  there  remains  somewhere,  in  some 
naos  buried  beneath  the  sand,  at  the  bottom  of  the  serdab  of  some 
mastaba  forgotten  by  Mariette,  in  the  entrails  of  some  pyramid 
neglected  by  Masp^ro,  in  the  labyrinth  of  some  speos  lost  in  the 
Arabian  mountain,  a  bit  of  this  famous  wisdom  of  Egypt,  well  !  ask 
this  solitary  mile-stone,  this  wasps'  nest,  to  show  you  the  way  and  to 
find  you  the  place  where  this  gem  rests,  this  rara  avis,  and  make  a 
present  of  it  to  the  fellaheen  of  to-day,  who  have  great  need  of  it !  " 

"  They  are  not  the  only  ones,"  retaliated  Jacques. 

"  You  want  your  share  ?  " 

"  Yes  ;  to  divide  it  with  you." 

"  But  if  I  told  you.  Monsieur  Coquillard,  that  at  the  period  when 
our  ancestors,  in  mere  barbarism,  lived  in  caverns,  struggling  with 
arms  of  flint  against  bears  and  wild  bulls,  the  Egyptians  had  their 
astrologers,  their  mathematicians,  their  architects  ;  that  they  practised 
all  the  arts,  exercised  almost  all  the  trades  known  in  our  own  times  ; 
and  that  Egypt  had  already  arrived  at  a  high  degree  of  civilisation 
before  Babylon  and  Nineveh  were  founded  ?  " 

"  I  would  believe  you,  because  you  would  afiirm  it  to  be  true." 

"  And  if  I  added  that  it  was  an  Egyptian  who  invented  gun- 
powder ?  " 

''  An  Egyptian  ! " 

"  Yes,  an  Egyptian,  born  here,  at  Heliopolis  ! " 

"  Then  I  would  ask  whether  you  were  speaking  seriously." 

"  And  I  would  reply  that  I  am  speaking  very  seriously;  that  this 


GBEATNESS  AND  DECLINE  OF  THE  EGYPTIANS       151 

Egyptian,  crossed  with  a  Greek,  was  called  Callinices,  that  he  lived  in 
the  seventh  century  of  onr  era,  that  he  discovered  the  composition  of 
Greek  fire,  which  is  little  different  from  gimpowder,  the  use  of  which 
was  even  known  to  the  Egyptian  priests." 

"  And  the  celebrated  German  monk  ?     And  Roger  Bacon  ?  " 
"  They  would  have  invented  nothing  at  all." 

"But  the  Chinese,  did  not  they  have  something  to  do  with  the 
invention  of  powder  as  well  ?  " 

"  It  was  known  to  them  from  time  immemorial,  and  as  commercial 
intercourse  existed  between  the  east  and  west  of  Asia,  perhaps  their 
secret  was  transmitted  to  Africa  and  thence  to  Europe  bv  Callinices 
who  took  advantage  of  this  discovery  ;  but  these  are  quite  o-ratuitous 
suppositions.  What  is  beyond  doabt  is  that  the  Egyjitiau  priests 
made  use  of  powder,  or  of  something  similar,  in  the  performance  of 
their  mysteries,  or  in  their  initiations,  to  impose  on  the  people  and 
frighten  the  neophytes  ;  that  Callinices  found  Greek  fire,  or  gunpowder, 
and  took  his  discovery  to  Constantinople." 

"Well,  I  should  never  have  thought  them  capable  of  such  a 
thing." 

"  But,"  broke  in  Jacques,  "  how  do  you  explain,  Monsieur  Alan, 
such  an  absolute  breakdown  of  this  people  so  profoundly  original, 
so  singularly  tenacious,  so  attached  to  their  old  customs,  to  their 
institutions,  to  their  Pharaohs,  so  opposed  to  all  importation  from  the 
outside  ?  How  has  such  a  complete  metamorphosis  been  performed, 
which  transformed  the  hardy  soldiers  of  Thotmes  into  the  timid 
fellaheen  of  the  present  day  ?  " 

"  By  that  fatal  law  of  nature  which  provides  that  all  here  below 
are  born,  multiply,  and  die." 

"  And  begin  again,"  remarked  Onesime,  "  as  the  Greeks  are 
budding  again  ;  at  least,  so  you  affirm." 

"  And  begin  again,"  acquiesced  Keradec  ;  "  that  happens 
sometimes." 

"  With  patronage ;  your  spoilt  child  has  doubtless  attained  a 
dispensation.  I  see  arrangements  can  be  made  with  science  as  with 
the  Church  :  I  was  not  aware  that  the  noble  daughter  of  Mnemosyne 


152  THE  LAND  OF  THE  SPHINX. 

and  Jupiter,  the  impartial  Clio,  sometimes  lost  herself  in  the  un- 
dulating paths  of  the  sweet  disciples  of  Loyola." 

"  But  you  see  exceptions  at  every  instant,  in  everything !  " 

"  To  confirm  the  rule,  is  it  not  so  ?     And  Greece  is  one." 

"  Yes,  like  all  beings  who,  before  dying  out,  left  the  germs  of  a 
new  life." 

"  Ah !  Doctor,  give  me,  I  beg  of  you,  the  secret  of  procuring  a 
new  life." 

"  Marry  and  have  children,"  answered  Alan,  laughing. 

Onesime  made  a  grimace. 

"  Thank  you,  Doctor  ;  I  do  not  feel  myself  sufficiently  near  my  end 
to  wish  to  continue.     I'll  wait." 

"  To  revert  to  your  question,  Monsieur  Jacques,  travel  back  to  the 
period  when  the  Macedonian  founded  Alexandria,  grafting  a  vivacious 
shoot  on  to  the  old  stalk  of  Egypt  slumbering  over  its  mummies, 
exhausted  by  successive  invasions.  Under  the  powerful  impulsion  of 
Lagos,  the  Greek  city  became  the  centre  of  intelligence,  science,  and 
art  at  the  same  time  as  the  commercial  rendezvous  of  the  world.  The 
Ptolemies  sought  in  vain  to  blend,  in  a  fusion  contrary  to  the  tradi- 
tional genius  of  Egypt,  the  sombre  and  angry  character  of  the  Egyptian 
with  the  gay  and  mocking  nature  of  the  Greek,  and  to  implant  in  the 
decayed  civilisation  of  the  Pharaohs  that  younger  and  more  pleasant 
civilisation  of  Greece ;  it  merely  grazed  the  surface  of  the  old  national 
mind,  and,  powerless  to  penetrate  beyond,  only  weakened  the  ancient 
doctrines,  which  were  altered  and  partly  lost,  as  well  as  the  sacred 
language  of  hieroglyphics,  which  disappeared  for  ever,  some  centuries 
later,  stifled  by  Christianity. 

"  And  when  Amrou,  at  the  head  of  a  Mussulman  army,  invaded 
the  valley  of  the  Nile,  Egypt  was  nothing  but  a  corpse,  which  neither 
the  genius  of  Lagides  nor  the  astounding  vitality  of  the  Greek  people 
— light  of  heart,  turbulent,  thoughtful,  learned,  artistic,  of  untiring 
ndustrial  ability,  of  unrivalled  commercial  activity — had  been  able 
to  galvanise  ;  and  while  Egypt,  inert,  submitted  almost  uncon- 
sciously to  the  Arab  invasion,  accepting  mechanically  their  customs 
with  their  religion,  the  Greeks,  after  a  long  and  heroic  effort,  the  last 


GREATNESS    AND    DECLINE    OF    THE    EGYPTIANS.  153 

spasm  of  tlieir  dying  energy,  abandoned  by  the  orthodox  Byzantium, 
succnmbed,  exhausted  and  glorious. 

"They  bequeathed  to  their  conquerors  the  brilliant  remnants  of 
the  Hellenic  civilisation  from  which  is  born  that  of  the  West. 

"  The  Arabs,  adapting  to  their  genius,  so  original  in  its  graceful 
fancy,  this  pure  sentiment  of  the  beautiful,  this  profound  science  of  the 
Greeks,  in  their  turn,  guided  by  the  victorious  Crescent,  carried  the 
civilisation  of  the  conquered  as  far  as  Spain.  But  the  fatal  principle 
of  Islamism,  which  prevented  them  accepting  it  in  its  entirety,  con- 
tained the  germ  of  death,  which  would,  in  the  end,  stay  the  powerful 
flow  of  this  astounding  culture,  and  annihilate  the  Colossus  which 
Europe  is  even  now  dividing  in  his  lifetime. 

"  At  the  present  day  Islamism  is  breaking  up  ;  the  mosques  are 
crumbling  to  ruins  before  the  eyes  of  the  indifferent  Arabs,  who 
possess  neither  the  courage  nor  the  necessary  science  to  repair  them 
or  to  build  new  ones  ;  the  Crescent,  like  the  Cross,  like  the  key  of  the 
life  of  Osiris,  is  on  its  way  to  join,  amidst  indifference  and  oblivion, 
all  the  worn-out  rattles  of  our  fathers,  all  those  old  accessories  of 
annihilated  religions. 

"  The  fellah  alone  is  left  in  the  midst  of  his  tombs,  of  his  temples, 
of  his  mummies,  unchangeable  like  the  Nile,  slowly  absorbing  his 
conquerors,  consoling  himself  in  his  ardent  affection  for  his  beloved 
river,  the  Osiris  of  his  ancestors,  patiently  waiting,  bent  over  the  dark 
soil,  for  the  soul  of  Egypt,  gone  to  the  unknown  regions  of  Amenti,  ta 
return  and  animate  afresh  its  poor  body." 

"  But  where  are  the  ruins  of  this  city  of  Heliopolis  ?  It  is  not 
possible  to  conjure  away  the  remains  of  such  a  town  like  a  nutmeg." 

"  One  must  seek  for  them  at  Cairo,  in  the  foundations  of  the 
houses,  of  the  mosques,  of  the  ramparts.  The  Arabs  built  the  new 
Egyptian  capital  with  the  ruins  of  Heliopolis  and  Memphis,  reduced, 
alas  !  to  the  state  of  quarries  in  full  activity.  Vce  victis  !  The  (quotation 
is  applicable  to  stones  as  well  as  nations." 

While  chatting  thus  together,  the  Doctor,  Jacques,  and  Onesime 
had  wandered  about  a  good  deal,  and  seen  almost  everything.  Jacques 
had  made  a  few  sketches,  Keradec  had  deciphered  a  few  hieroglyphics, 


154  THE  LAND  OF  THE  SPHINX. 

and  On^sime  had  conscientiously  got  over  his  digestion.  They  returned 
to  the  camp,  jumped  on  their  asses,  and  set  out  in  the  direction  of  the 
petrified  forest. 

In  a  short  time  they  reached  some  sandy  ground  between  Gebel-el- 
Ahmar  and  Gebel-Mokattam,  in  a  desolate,  arid  spot.  The  donkeys 
advanced  at  a  walk,  the  horsemen  did  not  breathe  a  word  ;  the  donkey 
boys  also  followed  in  silence,  wiping  away,  from  time  to  time,  a  few 
drops  of  perspiration  with  the  back  of  their  hands.  An  oppressive 
heat  weighed  on  the  little  caravan.  It  laboriously  ascended  the 
slope  of  Gebel-el-Ahmar,  and  at  last  came  to  an  expanse  of  table- 
land, covered  with  the  remains  of  trunks  of  trees,  some  of  a  remarkable 
size,  which  were  petrified,  or  rather  transformed  into  a  siliceous 
substance. 

"  These  petrifications,"  said  Keradec,  "  which  are  also  found  at 
Oebel-Silsileh,  in  the  great  Libyan  desert,  in  the  Bayouda  desert,  in 
Abyssinia,  and  at  Kilima  N'jaro,  seem  to  form  part  of  an  immense 
siliceous  system,  covering  all  Eastern  Africa  and  disappearing  under 
the  sand,  some  parts  only  emerging,  in  places,  on  the  surface  of  the 
soil.     Different  hypotheses  have  been  advanced  as  to  their  origin." 

"  Ah  !  the  hypotheses,"  said  Onesime  ;  "  there  they  are  coming  to 
the  rescue,  those  good-natured  hypotheses,  those  perfidious  charmers, 
those  docile  children  of  your  restless  imaginations,  those  vaporous 
forerunners  of  the  realisation  of  your  wishes,  timid  enlighteners  of 
science,  slight  scafibldings  with  which  you  prop  up  the  extravagant 
speculations  of  your  minds,  so  ardently  captivated  by  truth,  whose 
gigantic  leap  towards  the  unknown  only  equals  the  vertiginous  depth 
of  the  fall,  light  bubbles  escaped  from  the  meanders  of  your  seething 
brains,  bursting,  poor  fools  I  in  the  stern  contact  with  cold  reality." 

"  Certainly,  Monsieur  Ondsime,  for  it  is  in  the  crucible  of  a  severe 
analysis  that  our  reasoning  is  refined  ;  logic  is  the  touch-stone  of 
our  speculations,  and  we  do  not  permit  ourselves  to  be  deceived  by 
the  delirium  of  our  imprudent  imagination." 

"  Your  imagination  I  It  surpasses  even  your  knowledge,  gentle- 
men of  science  ;  you  jump  on  to  the  hypothesis  as  lightly  as  a  poet 
leaps   on   Pegasus,   and  when,  by  chance,  brutal   truth   seizes   your 


WHAT    ONESIME    THINKS    OF    HYPOTHESES.  157 

complaisant  mount  by  the  bridle  and  flings  him  down,  it  is  almost 
with  painfnl  regret  for  an  illnsion  that  is  lost,  that,  letting  go  the 
saddle,  yon  qnit  yonr  broken-down  screw,  to  enter  on  the  bitter  and 
luminous  path  of  reality." 

"  But,  Monsieur  Coquillard,  it  is  by  hypotheses  that  we  arrive  at 
truth." 

"  You  might  almost  say  at  once  that  by  lying  we  get  to  say  what 
is  true." 

"  The  hypothesis,  my  dear  Onesime,"  said  Jacques—"  pardon  me, 
Doctor,  the  audacity  of  my  hypothesis — is  the  dung  on  which  grows 
the  venerable  mushroom  of  science." 

"  Good  and  evil,  then,"  interrupted  Onesime  ;  "  for  beside  the 
wholesome  mushroom  often  grows  the  venomous  fungus  ;  and  these 
two  brotherly  enemies  are  so  much  alike,  that  one  must  have  a  very 
sure  eye  to  distinguish  one  from  the  other,  and  with  these  gentlemen, 
pioneers  of  science — your  fellow-brethren.  Monsieur  Keradec — if  the 
mind  is  always  powerful,  the  sight  is  sometimes  weak,  and  the 
possibility  exists  that,  through  the  glasses  of  their  spectacles,  they 
might  mistake  the  two,  and  be  guilty  of  errors,  very  excusable,  no 
doubt,  but  much  to  be  regretted." 

"  Don't  worry  yourself,"  said  Jacques,  "  Monsieur  Keradec  knows 
his  business;  you  may  have  confidence  in  his  long  and  learned 
experience." 

"  I  have  always  appreciated  to  the  full  extent  the  great  learning 
and  clever  good  sense  of  M.  Alan,"  answered  Onesime,  who  turned 
smiling  towards  the  Doctor  ;  "  he  has  my  entire  confidence." 

"  Thanks  for  your  good  opinion  of  me,  my  dear  Monsieur  Onesime ; 
I  will  endeavour  to  preserve  it  by  not  making  too  frequent  use  of 
hypotheses,  and  you  will  do  me  a  service  by  refuting  them  as  I 
establish  them  ;  they  will  thus  be  so  many  false  scents  exposed,  and 
it  will  be  so  much  to  the  credit  of  truth." 

"  Do  not  rely  on  me  for  that  ;  I  am  too  much  of  a  conservator  to 
wish  to  bring  accepted  theories  to  destruction,  however  hypothetical 
they  may  be." 

"  And  then,"  said  Jacques,  "  there  are  some  that  have  existed  so 


158  THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 

long  wrapped  up  in  such  universal  veneration  that  you  would  fear  to 
do  the  least  thing  to  them.  Attempt,  for  example,  to  touch  that 
respectable  hypothesis  of  the  existence  of  God  ;  try  to  tear  away  that 
cloak  of  Nessus  which  man  has  taken  and  placed  on  his  shoulders, 
and  which  he  can't  get  rid  of ;  it  is  the  oldest  and  most  tenacious ; 
its  age  is  the  age  of  humanity  ;  it  was  born  with  the  first  man  and  will 
die  with  the  last.  It  is  true  that  some  strong  minds  consider  this  hypo- 
thesis both  useless  and  dangerous,  like  an  insolvable  equation  which, 
during  centuries,  has  tormented  humanity,  stupidly  bent  upon  discerning 
the  unknowable  ;  but  the  masses  cling  to  it  as  to  the  last  straw." 

"  Deicide  !     You  only  required  that,"  interrupted  On^sime. 

"  Let  us  leave  these  fools,  maybe  these  wise  men,  their  antiquated 
hobby  !  The  modern  idea  is  to  dissect  the  earth,  as  formerly  they 
scrutinised  the  sky.  Tired  of  seeking  God  everywhere  and  finding 
him  nowhere,  of  obstinately  endeavouring  to  clasp  what  is  not  to  be 
caught ;  worn  out,  they  respect  a  mystery  they  were  unable  to 
penetrate ;  some  through  want  of  power  or  fatigue,  others  out  of 
politeness  or  fear,  have  ceased  to  worry  with  their  indiscreet  curiosity 
the  supreme  manager,  the  great  potentate  of  space,  obstinately  pre- 
serving his  incognito  and  hiding  his  secret  and  his  abode. 

"  In  the  face  of  this  formidable  unknown  mystery,  for  ever  escaping 
from  the  anxious  investigation  of  thousands  of  human  beings,  since 
thousands  of  centuries,  man,  having  no  more  strength,  discouraged, 
has  sunk  down  exhausted,  bruised  all  over. 

"  At  the  present  day  he  has  recourse  to  heroic  measures  to  cure 
himself;  pitilessly  rejecting  all  vague  aspirations  towards  imaginary 
worlds,  better  and  eternal,  he  casts  his  eyes  on  that  in  which  he  was 
born,  his  real  dwelling,  his  home,  endeavouring  by  his  ingenuity,  his 
labour,  and  his  wisdom  to  make  the  house  pleasant  and  life  agreeable, 
or,  at  least,  possible,  by  doing  his  maximum  in  a  minimum  lapse  of 
time.  Instead  of  consulting  the  future,  people  study  the  present ; 
the  alchemist  has  made  way  for  the  chemist  ;  the  secrets  of  nature 
are  wrested  from  her  ;  it  is  easier,  and  there  is  less,  probability  of 
working  in  the  dark.  And  I  will  now  simply  lay  before  you  the 
hypotheses  that  have  been  presented  on  this  corpse  of  a  forest. 


THE    PETEIFIED    FOEEST. 


161 


"  Some  admit  the  silicification  on  this  spot  of  a  pre-existiug  forest, 
produced  by  the  eruption  of  thermo-siliceous  springs,  analogous  to  the 
geysers  of  Iceland.  Another  hj^othesis,  rejecting  the  idea  of  a  pre- 
existing forest  on  the  Mokattam,  supposes  that  these  blocks,  already 
silicified,  starting  from  Nubia,  were  brought  down  by  the  Nile,  or 
by  powerful  marine  currents,  or  again  (following  the  theory  of  the 
erratic  blocks  of  Switzerland),  by  the  influence  of  great  glaciers,  and 
were  quietly  stranded  on  the  heights  of  the  Mokattam. 


"^ 


The  desert. 


"  The  first  hypothesis  seems  the  most  rational,  the  second  en- 
countering almost  insurmountable  difficulties.  What  do  you  think, 
Monsieur  Coquillard  ?  " 

"  I  think,  as  we're  playing  truants  in  the  fields  of  hypothesis,  that 
we  might  just  as  likely  suppose,  simply,  that  this  dead  forest  was 
mummified  by  some  Pharaoh  or  other,  who  was  a  great  admirer  of 
trees  ;  in  a  country  where  people  mummified  everything— gazelles, 
ibis,  hams,  wigs — it  is  not  illogical  to  suppose  that  they  mummified 
a  few  trunks  of  trees." 

"  Your  hypothesis  is  not  wanting  in  originality,  Monsieur  Onesime, 

11 


162 


THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 


or  iu  logic,  particularly.  You  have  the  stuff  of  a  learned  man  in 
you." 

'•  Hypothetical,"  remarked  Jacques. 

"  You're  jealous,"  answered  Ouesime. 

From  the  spot  where  they  were,  the  view  extended  far  beyond  the 
motionless  waves  of  the  desert  sand,  undulating  at  the  east  and  losing 
themselves  in  the  distant  violet  of  the  twilight  ;  a  few  white  bones 
here  and  there  broke  up  the  yellowish  monotony  of  that  silent 
immensity,  calcinated  by  the  sun  for  many  centuries. 

The  three  friends  tore  themselves  away  from  the  contemplation 
of  this  scene  of  desolation.  Night  was  approaching ;  it  was  time  to 
leave.  They  turned  along  the  road  to  Cairo  ;  they  were  soon  at  the 
bottom  of  the  Mokattam,  passed  between  the  tombs  of  the  Mamelukes 
Kait-Bey  and  El  Gowry,  and  as  night  closed  in  reached  the  gate 
of  Bab-el-Nasr ;  it  was  quite  dark  when  they  quitted  their  steeds  at 
the  door  of  their  hotel. 


The  Pyramids. 


CHAPTER  IX. 


On  the  road  to  Ghizeh. — The  Pyramids  in  the  distance.— Escorted  by  the  Arabs. — 
At  the  foot  of  the  Pyramids. — Carried  off  by  the  Bedouins. — Jacques  and 
Onesime  ascend  Khout-the-Brilliant. — On  the  top  of  the  Pyramid. — The 
descent. — Onesime's  annoyances. — He  meets  old  acquaintances  of  the  Said.— 
Intra  muros. — Ke'radec's  opinion  of  the  monuments  of  the  Pharaohs. — 
Onesime's  horror  of  the  latter. — Hypotheses  as  to  the  use  and  object  of  the 
Pyramids. — "What  history  and  legend  say  of  them. — Onesime's  theories  of  these 
regular  stone-faced  tumuli  and  their  authoi's. — History  of  Youssouf 's  hand. — 
Digression  on  the  descendants  of  the  Crusaders. — Her-the- Superior.  — Cook 
and  Son's  packages. — Ur't-the-Great. — The  watchman  of  the  desert. — In  the 
shadow  of  the  Sphinx. — Truffles  and  Clos-Vougeot. — To  the  health  of  Osiris  ! 
— The  Temple  of  the  Sphinx. — Through  the  Mastabas. — At  the  hotel. 

~rT  is  seven  o'clock  ;  a  fine  morning,  sharp  air ;  the  Doctor  rolls  a 
-*-  cigarette,  Jacques  lights  his  first  pipe  ;  Onesime,  still  half  asleep, 
pulls  out  a  cigar,  and  settles  himself  down  on  the  cushions  of  the 
carriage  that  they  have  engaged  in  the  Esbekieh.  The  coachman 
takes  them  along  at  a  pretty  smart  pace  :  they  pass  beside  the 
Kasr-el-Nil  barracks,  across  the  bridge  of  the  same  name,  and,  leaving 
the  Palace  of  Ghezireh  on  the  right,  drive  through  a  tumble-down 
village  ;  then  the  road  becomes  open  and  takes  a  straight  line  to  the 
Pyramids. 

The  highway,  shaded  on  either  side  by  a  double  row  of  limes,  is 
dreadfully  direct  j    the   atmosphere   admirably   pure  and  exquisitely 

163 


164  THE  LAND  OF  THE  SPHINX. 

fresh  and  perfumed  ;  slight  vapours  glide  over  the  damp  ground,  rise, 
mount,  disperse,  and  disappear  in  white  flakes  in  the  dull  blue  of  the 
sky.  In  the  distance,  the  Pyramids  appear  aerial,  transparent,  bathed 
in  a  silvery  mist ;  little  by  little  they  are  freed  of  these  last  veils,  the 
gauze  is  torn  away,  and,  suddenly,- quite  naked,  superb,  inundated  with 
light,  they  burst  out  radiant  with  their  hues  of  reddish  gold,  their 
gigantic  profiles  standing  out  boldly  against  the  sky. 


The  bridge  of  Kasr-el-Kil. 


On  both  sides  of  the  road  the  country  undulates  resplendent  :  the 
black  earth  of  Egypt  palpitates  under  the  fiery  kiss  of  Horus  ;  it 
awakes  and  smilingly  presents  its  wide  flanks  to  the  robust  fellaheen, 
its  children,  black  as  itself.  Naked  to  the  waist,  they  indolently 
lean  with  their  hands  on  the  arms  of  primitive  ploughs,  which  barely 
skim  the  surface  of  a  marvellously  fertile  soil  ;   they  are  drawn  by 


AT    THE    FOOT    OF    THE    PYRAMIDS. 


165 


small,  lean  bullocks  with  short  necks.  Buffaloes  graze  ;  fishermen 
laboriously  drag  long  nets  in  the  canal  which  borders  the  road  ;  flights 
of  herons  make  away  ;  pelicans  shake  their  feathers,  erect  on  their 
long  stilts.     Villages  appear  like  nests  amidst  the  verdure. 

The  Pyramids  grow  big  ;  the  eye  can  hardly  distinguish  the 
mutilations  they  have  sufiered  in  the  course  of  centuries.  The  blue 
of  the  sky  becomes  more  intense,  the  light  more  brilliant,  the  sun 
hotter.  The  road  rises  little  by  little ;  the  horses  have  slackened  their 
pace.  A  swarm  of  Arabs,  of  Bedouins  in  black  and  white  burnouses, 
appear  on  all  sides,  surround  the  carriage,  follow  it  running  :  leaning 
one  hand  on  the  edge  of  the  door  or  the  hood,  they,  with  the  other,  draw 


Labourer  of  the  Delta. 


from  the  folds  of  their  burnouses  old  coins,  cats  and  figures  of  Osiris 
in  bronze,  stone  beetles,  earthenware  chaplets,  remains  of  mummies, 
shreds  of  papyrus,  and  the  song  of  baksheesh  commences,  monotonous, 
irritating,  imperious  ;  the  voices  are  harsh,  guttural  ;  the  faces  hard, 
the  limbs  muscular.  The  wild  children  of  the  desert  have  become 
simple  ciceroni ;  very  talkative  and  disagreeable  beggars  ;  but  not  in 
the  least  dangerous,  notwithstanding  their  terrible  air  and  bass  voices. 
All  at  once,  at  a  turn  in  the  road  at  a  right  angle,  the  driver  wakes 
up  his  horses,  ascends  a  steep  incline  at  a  gallop,  reaches  the  high 
ground,  and  suddenly  the  mass  of  audacia  saxa  rises  before  the 
stupefied  travellers  I  The  sensation  produced  by  the  sudden  sight 
of  this  mastodon  of  architecture   barring  the  horizon,  invading  the 


165  THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 

sky,  covering  space,  cannot  he  clefiued.  The  idea  tliat  tliis  colossus, 
of  wliich  "the  indestructible  mass  has  fatigued  time,"  is  a  work 
imagined  by  the  brain,  executed  by  the  hand  of  man,  astonishes  the 
understanding  and  disconcerts  the  imagination. 

Jacques  experienced  a  sort  of  giddiness  ;  he  felt  as  if  attracted  by 
an  abyss.  On^sime  gazed  with  a  contemptuous  pout ;  this  gigantic 
effort  of  man  left  him  quite  calm.  The  Doctor,  to  whom  the 
Pyramids  were  old  acquaintances,  was  bargaining  for  a  black  granite 
beetle,  engraved  with  the  cartouch  of  Thotmes  III.,  with  a  Bedouin, 
who  was  asking  him  an  extravagant  price  for  it. 

On  their  arrival  another  swarm  of  Bedouins,  joining  those  who  had 
escorted  them,  had  surrounded  them  and  almost  dragged  them  from 
the  carriage.  These  Bedouins,  ciceroni  in  burnouses,  under  the  orders 
of  a  Sheikh,  form  part  of  a  tribe  of  prey  who,  from  father  to  son,  pos- 
sess the  monopoly  of  showing  foreigners  over  the  Pyramids,  a  privilege 
which  they  strangely  abuse !  These  demons  pester  them  with  tedious 
perseverance  ;  the  one  who  has  a  discussion  with  Ke'radec  insists  on 
selling  him  his  beetle,  and  disputes  possession  of  him,  unguibus  et  rostro, 
with  his  fellows.  Jacques  and  On^sime  are  less  fortunate  ;  deafened  by 
the  cries,  blinded  by  the  gesticulations,  pulled  about  by  the  long  hands 
of  the  rapacious  band,  they  submit  to  being  led  off  without  resistance 
beneath  a  shower  of  demands  for  baksheesh  set  forth  imperatively. 

"  Hold  your  tongues,  brigands,"  shouted  Onesime ;  "  you  will 
awaken  Bonaparte's  forty  centuries  that  slumber  there,  aloft !  " 

On  the  way  they  meet  other  Europeans,  like  them  prisoners  of 
these  barbarians,  and  enduring  the  same  constraint ;  this  sight  con- 
soles them.  Orange-sellers  follow  behind,  and,  passing  their  skinny 
arms  over  the  heads  of  the  jailers,  offer  their  commodities  in  a  shrill 
voice ;  a  troop  of  donkey  boys,  resting  in  the  midst  of  their  animals 
in  the  large  triangle  of  shade  thrown  by  the  north  side  of  the  pyramid, 
watch  them  pass  by  and  laugh. 

At  the  foot  of  the  monument  two  of  the  Arabs  leap  upon  the  first 
step;  each  of  them  takes  one  of  Onesime's  arms  and  pulls  him  upward, 
while  a  third  pushes  him  up  from  behind,  and  the  comic  but  laborious 
ascent  commences. 


ASCENT    OF    THE    PYRAMID. 


167 


Jacques,  at  the  sight  of  the  fate  that  awaits  him,  escapes  from  his 
guardians,  springs  on  the  blocks,  and,  thanks  to  his  strength  and 
the    flexibility    of    his  ,ji.^ 

muscles,   climbs   them  J^lvv? 

tolerably  briskly.     The     --'i^'^^- 
men    with    the    black 
burnouses   pursue  and 
capture  him.     He  en- 
deavours to  make  them 
understand  that  he  can 
and  will  go  up  alone. 
All  in  vain  !    The  three 
guides    surround    him, 
gesticulate  and  halloa    • 
like  maniacs.      "  Bak- 
sheesh !       baksheesh  ! 
ketir ! "     is    the    only 
answer    to    his    protesta- 
tions ;       the      discussion 
threatens   to   be   everlast- 
ing, reasoning  is  useless  ;  it  is 
repugnant  to  him  to  use  force, 
he    has    recourse    to    artifice ; 
taking  a  handful  of  piastres,  he 
throws  them  to  the  foot  of  the  steps  : 
in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye  he  is  clear 
of  his  persecutors,  who  dash  off  with 
emulation    in    search    of    the    small 
money,  pushing  and  swearing  at  each 
other,  while  he  continues  to  climb  by 
the  strength  of  his  limbs. 

Half-way  up  he  finds  Onesime,  out  of  breath,  bruised,  furious,  his 
knees  scraped,  staring  piteously  at  a  large  rent  in  his  trousers,  while 
cracking  sounds  of  evil  omen,  which  accompany  each  of  his  move- 
ments, announce  other  serious  damages.      He  absolutely   refuses   to 


Ascent  of  the  pyramid. 


168  THE   LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 

contiune.  Jacques  comforts  him  as  well  as  he  is  able  ;  he  at  length 
becomes  calm,  and  with  returning  breath  recovers  courage  ;  he  com- 
pletes the  ascent  without  any  further  accident,  and  after  some  trouble 
reaches  the  platform. 

The  sight  is  grand  in  the  extreme ;  but,  suffocated  by  the  heat, 
dazzled  by  the  sun,  Onesime  immediately  beats  a  retreat,  leaving 
Jacques  to  admire  it  at  his  ease.  Assisted  by  his  Bedouins,  he 
descends  a  few  steps  on  the  north  side  of  the  pyramid,  and  there,  in 
a  retreat  formed  by  a  stone  torn  from  its  socket,  in  the  shade,  seated 
on  the  burnous  folded  in  four  of  one  of  his  guides,  fanned  by  the  two 
others,  he  rests  from  his  fatigue,  indolently  allowing  his  roving  gaze  to 
fall  on  the  landscape  that  expands  below  him.  From  time  to  time, 
the  remembrance  of  his  eventful  ascent  mixes  a  little  bitterness  with 
this  drowsy  quietude,  and  he  is  seized  with  a  nervous  trembling  at 
the  thought  of  the  approaching  descent.  Apart  from  these  slight 
vexations  of  an  imagination  too  readily  impressed,  he  feels  as  well  as 
can  be. 

The  eye  hovers  over  an  immense  surface  :  to  the  east  glitters  the 
Nile,  winding  through  a  vast  breadth  of  verdure,  resembling  a  mon- 
strous reptile  asleep  in  the  sun  ;  sheets  of  water  shine  like  mirrors  ; 
a  few  villages  break  up  the  dark  green  of  the  plain  with  touches  of 
grey.  Beyond,  in  a  sparkling  agglomeration,  shine  the  domes  of  the 
mosques,  the  summits  of  the  minarets,  commanded  by  the  citadel  and 
the  two  slender  needles  of  the  Mosque  of  Mahomet  Ali,  standing  out 
clearly  against  the  reddish  mass  of  Mokattam.  To  the  south  points 
up  the  Pyramid  of  Chephren,  Ur't-the-Great,  still  covered  at  the 
upper  part  with  its  facing  of  granite,  round  which  eagles  are  whirling; 
that  of  Mycerinus,  Her-the-Superior ;  then  quite  a  long  chain  of  other 
pyramids,  of  embryos  of  pyramids,  of  mastabas  echeloned  as  far  as 
the  eye  can  see  on  the  border  of  the  desert.  To  the  north,  cultivated 
fields  alternate  indefinitely  with  strips  of  sand  in  the  plain  of  the 
Delta.  To  the  west,  the  desert :  a  gloomy  succession  of  red  hillocks, 
of  desolate  ravines,  studded  here  and  there  with  the  violet  heads  of 
rugged  rocks  of  indeterminable  forms. 

Sometimes,  in  the  grey,  dull  shade  that  weighs  on  this  redoubtable 


THE    DESCENT.  169 

expanse,  strange  glimmers,  powerful  effects  of  light,  wild  and  un- 
expected, galvanise  this  spectral  aridity  for  an  instant  by  a  sudden 
and  terrible  flash  of  life.  One  feels  oppressed  by  a  sentiment  of 
inexpressible  sadness  in  face  of  this  accursed  land,  of  this  furnace 
where  blows  a  wind  of  death  I 

Jacques  was  all  at  once  drawn  from  his  contemplation  by  the 
bantering  voice  of  On^sime,  who  had  just  appeared  on  the  platform, 
his  helmet  on  his  head  and  his  parasol  in  his  hand. 

"  Pardon  me  disturbing  you  in  your  delicious  tete-d-tete  with  Khout- 
the-Brilliant,  my  dear  friend,  but  we  have  now  been  roasting  for  a 
good  half-hour  on  the  summit  of  this  ridiculous  tumulus  with  uniform 
faces ;  suppose  we  were  to  think  of  descending  ?  " 

"  Whenever  you  like." 

"  Very  well,  then,  let  us  be  off,"  sighed  Onesime,  whose  jovial 
face  became  all  at  once  overcast. 

"  Is  it  regret  at  leaving  that  makes  you  sigh  ?  " 

"  Almost,  when  I  think  of  the  ground  I  still  have  to  get  over." 

"  Such  a  i^icturesque  road,  so  easy  !  where  you  descend  all  the 
time,  without  the  least  hill  to  climb." 

"  Only  your  ribs  to  break,  hey  !  You  consider  that  picturesque, 
do  you  ?  " 

"  Ah  I  You  see,  in  clumsy  hands,"  Jacques  observed  gravely,  "  you 
run  the  risk  of  starting  from  here  wholesale,  and  of  being  retailed 
at  the  bottom.     That  has  happened,  and " 

"  Will  you  hold  your  tongue,  tormentor  ? "  exclaimed  Onesime, 
half  laughing,  half  trembling.  "You  make  my  skin  creep  with  your 
stories,  and  to  do  so  you  choose  the  very  moment  when  I  am  clinging 
to  my  courage  with  both  hands  to  undertake  this  abominable  descent. 
Ah,  traitor  ! "  And  Onesime,  with  ill-restrained  emotion,  places 
himself  once  again  in  the  hands  of  his  Arabs. 

Upheld,  withheld,  tossed  about  by  them,  he  descends,  or  rather 
allows  himself  to  descend  ;  but  not  without  lively  apprehensions  for 
the  security  of  his  person,  and  as  to  the  resisting  strength  of  the 
seams  of  his  clothing.  Jacques,  freed  from  his  acolytes,  bounds 
lightly  from  step  to  step. 


170  THE  LAND  OF  THE  SPHINX. 

Half-way  down  they  cross  some  tourists  anxious  to  go  and  engrave 
their  names  at  the  summit  of  the  monument  of  Cheops,  and  thus 
prove  the  truth  of  the  proverb,  Nomina  stultorum  semper  parietibus 
insunt — idiots  spending  hours  sinking  the  proofs  of  their  stupidity 
into  the  stone.     They  exchange  a  greeting  as  they  pass. 

A  prudish  old  English  woman,  rather  roughly  handled  by  her 
gingerbread-coloured  lifters,  gives  utterance  to  the  suppressed,  sharp 
clucking  of  a  hen,  and  exhibits,  by  reason  of  her  efforts  to  try  and 
hide  them,  deplorable  defects  in  the  contour  which  nature  usually  pro- 
vides for  mankind  of  the  female  sex.  Onesime  fancies  he  recognises 
one  of  his  old  acquaintance  of  the  Said.  A  little  lower  down  a 
precipitated  halt  attracts  his  attention  :  there  is  no  longer  room  for 
doubt  this  time  ;  it  is  the  six  packages  of  Cook  and  Son,  guide-books 
in  the  hands,  note-books  in  the  pockets,  leather  bag  for  souvenirs 
slung  across  the  shoulders,  who  are  being  hoisted  up.  "  A  pleasant 
journey!"  shouts  Onesime.  "Thank  you;  the  same  to  you  I  "  roar 
the  six  throats  at  the  same  time  ;  and  the  sextuple  ascension 
continues. 

Other  parties  follow.  Then  it  is  Jonathan,  always  phlegmatic, 
accompanied  by  his  telescope,  which  one  of  the  Arabs  carries  ;  as  he 
passes  he  presses  the  hand  of  Onesime  as  if  he  wanted  to  pulverise 
the  fingers  and  disarticulate  the  shoulder.  "  Brute  !  lout !  "  thinks 
the  latter,  while  delineating  a  doleful  smile  in  answer  to  this  Yankee 
politeness,  and  he  withdraws  his  aching  hand  from  the  vice  with  a 
stifled  moan,  bows,  and  descends.  "It's  abominable  to  cripj)le  people 
like  that  under  j)retence  of  greeting  them  ! "  he  growls  between  his 
teeth,  while  separating  his  fingers,  condensed  under  the  high  pressure 
of  American  handshaking,  and,  avoiding  any  new  recognition,  he  allows 
himself  to  be  manipulated  by  his  bearers,  who  finally  deposit  him 
at  the  foot  of  Khout-the-Brilliant,  where  Jacques,  who  has  arrived 
a  few  minutes  before,  is  awaiting  him  with  K^radec,  who  has  ended 
by  purchasing  the  Thotmes  beetle. 

"  Well,  Monsieur  Coquillard,  here  you  are  back  again  sound  and 
well  from  your  adventurous  expedition  !  "  said  the  Doctor  gaily. 

"  Almost,  Monsieur  Kdradec,  with  the  exception  of  a  great  scratch 


ONESIME  S   ANNOYANCES. 


171 


on  the  knee,  a  hand  dislocated  by  an  Iroquois  calling  himself  civilised, 
bruised  all  over,  my  trousers  with  as  many  holes  in  them  as  in  a 
strainer,  my  coat  gone  in  all  the  seams,  my  hat  all  dented  in,  one 
of  the  glasses  of  my  spectacles  lost,  two  of  the  ribs  of  my  parasol 
broken,  the  tattered  appearance  of  a  plasterer  on  the  spree,  and  the 
positive  symptoms  of  extreme  soreness  all  over  my  body.  With 
the  exception  of  that,"  answered  Ondsime  with  bitterness,  "  I  am 
not  very  much  deteriorated." 


At  the  foot  of  Khout-the-Brilliant. 


"  There  are  no  roses  without  thorns,  Monsieur  Coquillard  ;  you 
know  the  proverb." 

"  I  have  felt  the  thorns,  but  as  to  the  roses,  I  am  still  in  search  of 
them." 

''  You  will  probably  find  them  inside  the  pyramid  we  are  about  to 
visit,  for  you  will  accompany  us  there." 

"  Faith  !  While  I  am  here  I'll  not  stop  on  such  a  good  road  ;  so 
much  the  worse  if  I  leave  the  remains  of  my  trousers  there  !  " 


172  THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX, 

"  What  !  Onesime,  you,  a  conservative  by  principle  and  hygiene,  is 
it  with  perfect  equanimity  of  mind  that  you  contemplate  the  eventua- 
lity of  returning  from  the  interior  of  Khout  sans  culotte !  " 

"  Alas,  my  friend,  I  shall  not  he  in  the  least  surprised  if  this 
internal  visit  is  accompanied  by  some  affliction  of  that  sort  after  what 
the  external  experiment  i)rocured  for  me;  but  I  will  enter  at  any  cost." 

"  If  your  corporation  permits  of  it,  though  ;  the  passage  is  so 
narrow." 

"  My  corporation  !  Look  at  that  lean  man  who  wants  to  make  me 
pass  for  a  Silenus,  because  nature,  in  a  moment  of  generosity,  has 
bestowed  on  my  person  a  comely  plumpness,  symbol  of  a  charming 
character,  and  has  graced  me  with  this  stomach  so  pleasingly  round  in 
form,  with  such  pure  lines,  discreetly  comprised  within  sober  limits  I 
whereas  she  has  shown  herself  a  parsimonious  mother  in  regard  to 
him,  forgetting  to  put  a  little  of  this  coquettish  fat  on  that  angular 
individual  with  sharp  edges,  that  composition  of  muscles,  nerves,  and 
sinews !  Confess  that  my  well-bred  obesity,  so  full  of  distinction,  so 
imposing,  shames  your  proletarian  scragginess,  and  that  the  serpent  of 
envy  is  gnawing  your  liver  !  that  you  are  jealous  of  my  stomach  !  " 

"  Xo,  my  friend ;  I  only  admire  it,  and  I  do  not  envy  it  you.  It 
would  be  too  heavy  to  carry  !  " 

"  Lazy  fellow  !  "  And  Onesime  catching  hold  of  Jacques'  arm, 
they  both  accompanied  the  Doctor,  who  conducted  them  to  the  northern 
side  of  the  pyramid,  where  the  entrance  is,  about  five-and-twenty 
yards  from  the  lowest  layer  of  stones. 

Preceded  by  an  Arab  carrying  a  candle,  followed  by  two  or  three 
others,  also  provided  with  lights,  they  penetrate,  bending  down,  into 
the  square  gallery  descending  in  a  gentle  incline.  In  proportion  as 
they  go  lower  the  air  becomes  heavier,  its  closeness  affects  them  in  the 
throat ;  numbers  of  bats  fly  round  about  in  fright,  graze  their  faces, 
occasionally  extinguishing  their  candles  with  a  blow  of  their  wings. 
At  the  end  of  the  gallery  they  turn  round  a  block  of  granite  which 
bars  the  way,  and  remount  by  a  low  corridor  ending  at  a  horizontal 
passage,  where  there  is  a  bifurcation;  they  follow  the  horizontal 
corridor,  which  leads  them  into  the  chamber  called  "  The  Queen's," 


INTRA   MUROS. 


173 


situated  in  the  great  vertical  axis  of  the  pyramid  -,  the  ceiling  is  com- 
posed of  flags  of  stone  most  daringly  fixed  here. 

Retracing  their  steps  to'the  point  of  intersection  of  the  two  passages, 
they  enter  the  grand 
gallery,  more  lofty, 
but  not  so  large  as 
the  others,  which  as- 
cends on  an  incline 
towards  the  centre  of 
the  pyramid.  The 
pink  granite  sides  are 
more  than  twenty- 
seven  feet  high ;  one 
breathes  more  freely. 
The  walls  are  smooth ; 
a  bench  runs  all  along 
them  ;  some  niches 
are  hollowed  out  in 
the  stone.  The  ad- 
hesion of  the  blocks 
is  so  perfect  that 
one  hardly  perceives 
the  joints.  At  one 
hundred  and  sixty 
feet  from  there,  they 
arrive  at  a  sort  of 
vestibule,  tolerably 
large,  where  vertical 
grooves  have  been 
made  in  the  walls. 
Four  slabs  of  granite 

formerly        slid        into  Entrance  of  the  Great  Pyrainid. 

them,  and  this  quadruple  door  closed  the  entrance  to  the  sepulchral 
chamber,  which  they  now  reach.  The  entrance  is  low,  they  have  to 
bend  down  to  pass,  and  they  find  themselves  face  to  face  with  the 


Y: 


"^^^^r* 


K^ 


':  ^«> 


4^-. 


174  THE  LAND  OF  THE  SPHINX. 

sarcopliagns  of  red  grauite,  i)olislied,  without  ornaments  or  hiero- 
glyphics, which  contained  the  Eoyal  Mummy.  The  ceiling  is  flat. 
Above,  five  low  chambers,  husbanded  by  the  architect,  rise  in  stages 
at  brief  intervals,  the  last  holding  the  two  blocks  which  form  the 
ceiling,  leaning  by  their  base  on  the  mass  of  masonry,  and  joining 
together  at  the  top,  where  they  form  a  rather  wide  angle,  thus 
diverting  from  the  vault  all  the  upper  weight  of  the  monument. 

"  And  is  that  all  ?  "  asked  Onesime  ;  "  and  millions  of  men  have 
been  employed  piling  up  those  blocks,  and  in  making  the  road  which 
rendered  it  possible  to  bring  them  along  solely  to  place  a  tomb  there  ! " 

"  Solely  for  that.  Monsieur  Coquillard." 

"  And  you  don't  call  that  madness,  furious,  criminal,  accursed 
madness,  on  the  part  of  this  rascal  of  a  Pharaoh  ?  " 

"  What  can  you  expect.  Monsieur  Coquillard—  alia  tempora,  alii 
mores  !  We  have  the  cemetery  of  Pfere  Lachaise,  the  Egyptians  have 
the  necropolis  of  Ghizeh." 

"  The  Egyptians  did  grand  things,  we  do  small  ones,"  said  Jacques ; 
"  that  is  the  only  difference." 

"  It  was  not  during  the  Second  Empire  that  things  were  done  in  a 
small  way  !  Son  of  a  gun,  what  a  mania  they  had  for  working  on 
a  large  scale  at  the  Tuileries  !  " 

"  The  only  great  thing  of  that  unlucky  period,"  said  Jacques,  "  was 
the  bill  to  pay— a  heavy  bill  of  blood  and  gold  that  the  Emperor 
left  to  be  settled  by  France,  after  having  cowardly  handed  her  over  at 
Sedan  and  thrown  all  the  gates  wide  open  to  invasion,  while  he  went 
and  hid  his  shame  in  England." 

"  You  are  treating  him  nicely  !  " 

"  Not  worse  than  you  treat  Cheops." 

"  Oh  !  As  for  that  matter  I  have  no  mercy  for  him ;  his  folly  of 
greatness  outstrips  all  limits.  Look  here.  Monsieur  K^radec,  I  ask  you 
what  is  the  result  of  this  total  of  incredible  efforts,  if  not  to  end  in 
gigantic  puerility  ?  For  what  good  ?  Why  ?  What  is  the  utility 
of  it?" 

"  What  is  the  utility  of  the  Venus  of  Milo  ?  " 

"  I  can't  say  there  is  much,  but  it  is  beautiful." 


USE  AND  OBJECT  OF  THE  PYEAMIDS.  175 

"  Well !  Monsieur  Coqnillard,  the  pyramid  of  Cheops  is  quite  as 
useless  as  the  Venus  of  Milo,  but  it  is  sublime  !  " 

"  Sublime  ?  " 

"  Yes,  One'sime/'  added  Jacques,  "  almost  as  much  so  as  your 
astonishment." 

"  What !  Tu  quoque  !  Decidedly  Pharaoh  has  bewitched  you  ;  you 
are  hypnotised ;  you  are  under  the  influence  of  a  mental  suggestion,  a 
physical  illusion,  which  his  shade,  or  rather  his  double,  who  wanders 
around  us,  has  imposed  on  you.  Brrr  I  Let  us  get  out  of  this 
mummy's  hole  quickly  ;  I  am  afraid  of  contagion." 

"  Be  at  ease,  Monsieur  Coquillard;  this  kind  of  disease  only  attacks 
certain  kinds  of  brains." 

"  That  is  quite  possible,  but  let  us  leave  here,  all  the  same.  My 
brain  only  needs  to  be  one  of  those  !  " 

''  Fear  nothing,  Onesime  ;  there  are  privileged  natures  like  yours 
that  are  sheltered  from  everything,  even  poverty,  you  happy  mortal !  " 

"  Unfortunately  not  for  long,  if  your  cataclysm  succeeds." 

'*'  But  I  suppressed  it  to  oblige  you." 

"  Excuse  me,  I  forgot !  " 

And  following  the  guides,  who  had  now  gone  out,  they  retraced 
their  steps,  and  soon  found  themselves  at  the  entrance,  and  then  at  the 
bottom,  of  the  pyramid.  A  generous  baksheesh  delivered  them  from 
their  conductors,  and  they  went  and  seated  themselves  on  a  stray 
block  in  the  shade  of  Khout-the-Brilliant. 

"  Ouf !  "  sighed  Onesime,  sinking  down  on  the  stone.  "  Anyhow, 
one  can  breathe  here  " ;  and,  addressing  himself  to  the  Doctor,  who 
was  rolling  one  of  his  eternal  cigarettes, — 

"  Look  here.  Monsieur  Keradec,  now  that  we  are  alone  in  the  open 
air,  beyond  that  unhealthy  tunnel,  and  the  pernicious  influence  of  that 
rascal  Cheops,  and  no  longer  fear  his  evil  eye,  now,  seriously,  do  you 
consider  that  beautiful  ?  "  And  he  extended  his  hand  towards  the 
pyramid. 

"  That,  Monsieur  Coquillard,  that  calcareous  mountain  ?  " 

"  In8tar  montium  eductce"  interrupted  Onesime,  with  disguised 
gravity. 


176  THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 

"  Fortent08(B  moles,^''  continued  the  Doctor,  smiling.  "  Tliis  formu- 
lated immensity,  hiding  beneath  a  studied  simplicity  of  lines  jirodigies 
in  dynamics  and  statics,  anheard-of  perfection  of  detail,  the  beauty  of 
a  magnificent  execution,  is  an  indestructible  witness  of  the  implacable 
pride  of  the  Pharaohs  and  of  the  grandiose  audacity  of  the  genius 
of  their  architect.  He  has  marked  his  sublime  work,  of  absolute 
sincerity,  with  the  seal  of  eternity,  of  which  it  is  the  symbol ;  he  has 
created  the  most  vast  and  durable  product  of  art." 

"  Do  you  hear  ?  "  said  Onesime  to  Jacques,  with  an  air  of  profound 
conviction.  "  Who  would  ever  have  imagined  that  there  were  so  many 
things  hidden  beneath  it  ?  " 

"  Certainly  not  you  !  " 

"  Oh  I  you,  you  would  draw  emptiness  from  life,  as  a  companion 
picture  to  the  famous  '  Passage  of  the  Red  Sea  by  the  Hebrews.'  " 

"  Why  not  ?     They  photograph  the  invisible." 

"  The  invisible  ?  " 

"  The  invisible  ;  they  photographed  Mont  Blanc  during  the  night." 

"■  Without  candles  ?  " 

"  Without  candles.     But  ask  Monsieur  Keradec." 

"  Certainly,  in  1883,  at  the  commencement  of  September,  M. 
Singer  photographed  Mont  Blanc  in  the  middle  of  the  night." 

"  And  he  succeeded  ?  " 

"  Perfectly." 

"  So  much  so,"  added  Jacques  very  seriously,  "  that  Mont  Blanc 
recognised  itself  at  once." 

"  And  no  doubt  immediately  ordered  a  dozen  album  photos  ?  " 

"  I  did  not  ask  him  that.     And  the  pyramids  served,  Doctor " 

"  Simply  as  sepulchres.  They  were  tombs  hermetically  closed,  the 
colossal  stone  envelope  of  a  mummy  ;  they  were  covered  with  a 
smooth  casing  like  a  cuirass,  formed  of  brilliant  and  variously  coloured 
stones,  probably  alternating  in  horizontal  bands,  red,  black,  pink, 
green  ;  a  terminating  stone  crowned  this  gigantic  mosaic,  which, 
beneath  the  reverberation  of  the  powerful  rays  of  the  sun,  must  have 
been  brightly  resplendent  and  have  thoroughly  deserved  its  name  of 
Khout-the-Brilliant." 


USE    AND    OBJECT    OF    THE    PYRAMIDS.  177 

"  It  must  have  produced  the  effect  of  an  enormous  mirror  for  larks, 
and  have  horribly  fatigued  the  sight,"  concluded  Onesime.  "  It  is  not 
surprising  that  there  were  so  many  blind  people  at  the  period." 

"  And  now  ?  "  answered  Jacques. 

"  Oh  !  now  they  are  only  one-eyed,  and  that  is  by  atavism." 

"  Near  the  eastern  side,"  continued  Ke'radec,  "  was  a  mortuary 
chapel,  where  the  scribes  attached  to  the  monument  received  the 
oflferings  and  performed  the  prescribed  rites. 

"One  of  the  three  pyramids  that  you  have  noticed  at  a  short 
distance  from  the  eastern  side  is  the  tomb  of  the  daughter  of 
Cheops  ;  around  it  you  see  a  series  of  long  lines  of  mastabas  ;  those 
are  the  sepulchres  of  grand  dignitaries  of  the  Court  in  the  vicinity 
of  the  tomb  of  their  Pharaoh,  who  covers  them  with  his  great 
shadow." 

"  And,  no  doubt,  Monsieur  K^radec,"  inquired  Onesime,  "  you  have 
quite  an  assortment  of  little  hypotheses  to  explain  the  object  or  the 
use  of  the  pyramids  ?  " 

"  Oh  !  they  are  not  wanting;  I  will  quote  you  a  few;  but  remember 
that  they  are  only  hypotheses,  and  that  1  am  not  the  father  of  them. 
According  to  Pliny,  the  motive  of  the  Pharaohs  in  building  the 
pyramids  was  either  not  to  leave  their  treasures  to  successors  or  rivals 
who  might  wish  to  supplant  them,  or  to  prevent  the  people  from 
being  idle." 

"  Generous  souls  !  Excellent  Pharaohs  !  Pushing  their  solicitude 
so  far  as  to  provide  amusements  for  their  subjects.  Hearts  of  gold !  " 
murmured  Onesime. 

"  Some  believe  that  the  perfect  orientation  of  the  pyramid  shows 
its  astronomical  destination  ;  it  served  for  scientific  purposes  ;  it  was 
a  sort  of  indestructible  metrical  standard ;  the  construction  and 
arrangement  remained  a  rigorous  demonstration  of  the  quadrature  of 
the  circle." 

"  Demonstration  of  an  absurdity  I  Why  not  suppose  at  once  that 
they  served  for  a  geometrical  diagram  in  the  open  air  ?  " 

"  One  has  seen  gnomons  that  measured  the  length  of  the  days 
by  the  shadows  they  threw." 

12 


178  THE  LAND  OF  THE  SPHINX. 

"  That's  it  !  A  sort  of  belfry  of  Egypt.  That  idea  must  have 
issued  from  the  brain  of  a  clockmaker  or  a  German  doctor." 

"  Lighthouses  guiding  the  traveller  in  the  desert." 

"  Funny  lighthouses  I  They  don't  say  whether  they  had  fixed  or 
intermittent  lights.     That  omission  is  unpardonable  !  " 

''  The  Arabs  of  other  days  believed  they  had  been  erected  in 
prevision  of  a  deluge,  to  deposit  there  the  treasury  of  human 
knowledge  condemned  to  disappear." 

"  The  loss  would  not  have  been  great  at  the  time." 

"  In  the  middle  ages  they  looked  upon  them  as  granaries  built  by 
Joseph,  or  his  tomb." 

"  They  were  capable  of  anything  in  the  middle  ages." 

"  Some  persons  have  seen  in  them  a  strange  prank  of  nature, 
like  the  Giants'  Causeway  in  Ireland." 

"  It  would  be  well  if  it  were  so,  for  the  memory  of  the  Pharaohs." 

"  The  Copts  believed,  Monsieur  Coquillard,  that  it  was  from  the 
summit  of  the  pyramid  that  Pharaoh  reviewed  his  troops." 

"  That's  an  idea  !  They  don't  know  if  he  had  a  lift  to  raise  him  up 
there  ?  " 

"  They  also  attached  symbolical  ideas  to  them,  established  on  the 
most  ingenious  speculation." 

"  No  doubt  in  the  style  of  those  you  mentioned  just  now, 
Monsieur  Keradec?" 

"  Yes,  about  the  same.  The  Arabs  call  them  El-Heramat,  the 
old  fairies,  and  believe  that  they  were  created  by  God  long  before 
man." 

"  He  had  a  lot  of  time  to  waste  then  !  " 

"  Time  is  God's,  Monsieur  Coquillard,  and  he  can  use  it  as  he 
pleases." 

"And  waste  it,  if  one  admits  that  he  is  the  author  of  this 
deformity  in  hewn  stone,  which  would  not  be  complimentary  to 
his  good  taste." 

"  According  to  the  Druses,  the  pyramids  are  the  places  where 
■God  keeps  the  register  of  the  acts  of  all  creatures,  to  consult  it  at 
the  day  of  judgment." 


HISTORY    AND    LEGENDS    OF    THE    PYRAMIDS.  179 

"  Do  yon  hear  that,  Jacques  ?  The  chronicle  of  yonr  misdeeds 
is  there.  Look  out  on  the  day  of  the  Grand  Assizes  when  they 
try  without  appeal  I  " 

"  And  you  I  For  yours  is  in  the  same  pigeon-hole,  and  your 
irreverent  observation  in  regard  to  the  work  of  Jehovah,  whom  you 
reproach  with  his  want  of  taste,  will  be  entered  there." 

"Finally,  M.  de  Persigny  considered  them  a  barrier  opposed  to 
the  sand  of  the  Libyan  desert,  the  whirlwinds  of  which  they  broke  up, 
thus  protecting  the  cities  erected  between  the  Nile  and  the  desert." 

"  M.  de  Persigny  was  very  clever,  in  science  as  well  as  politics." 

"  The  Arabs  relate  that,  in  the  pyramid  of  Mycerinus,  which  is  the 
most  dreaded,  there  dwells  a  beautiful  woman,  who  comes  out  at 
night-time  and  drives  mad  the  traveller  who  allows  himself  to  be  en- 
snared by  her  charms.  They  add  that  genii,  sometimes  in  the  form 
of  a  child,  sometimes  in  that  of  an  old  man  who  burns  incense,  walk 
round  the  monument.  But,"  concluded  Keradec,  "  we  are  leaving 
hypotheses  for  the  field  of  legend." 

"  The  pyramids,  then,  have  also  their  legends,  Monsieur 
Keradec  ?  "  asked  Jacques. 

"  (^ertainly  !  Like  all  the  monuments  that  have  any  respect  for 
themselves,  commencing  with  that  of  Cheops.  If  we  are  to  place 
any  faith  in  what  the  Egyptian  priests  related  to  Herodotus,  whose 
credulity  equalled  his  good  faith,  this  is  about  what  the  father  of 
history  tells  us  : — 

"'After  having  extracted  the  blocks  from  the  quarries  at  Toura 
in  the  Arabian  chain,  and  dragged  them  to  the  bank  of  the  Nile  and 
from  there  carried  them  on  to  the  other  side,  it  required  ten  years 
to  make  the  road  by  which  they  were  conveyed  from  the  Nile  to  the 
Libyan  highland  and  to  excavate  the  subterranean  chambers  on  which 
the  monument  was  erected.  The  pyramid  itself  took  twenty  years 
to  build,  and  cost  six  hundred  talents.  One  hundred  thousand  men 
were  employed  on  the  works,  and  were  changed  every  three  mouths.' " 

"  But  that  is  not  a  legend." 

"  Wait  a  bit  !  Tradition  adds  that  '  Cheops,  exhausted  by  the 
expense,  reached  such  a  point  of  infamy  as  to  prostitute  his  daughter 


180  THE  LAND  OF  THE  SPHINX. 

to  get  money,  and  that  not  only  did  she  perform  her  father's  will, 
bnt  that,  wishing  also  to  have  her  own  mansolenm,  she  requested 
each  of  her  lovers  to  give  her  a  stone  to  build  her  pyramid,  which  is 
between  the  two  facing  her  father's.' " 

"  When  I  told  you  your  Pharaoh  was  a  worthless  fellow,"  Onesime 
hastened  to  remark,  "  facts  show  me  to  be  right." 

"  Only  tradition,  Monsieur  Coquillard." 

"  Tradition  is  sufficient  for  me  when  it  accords  with  common 
sense." 

"  Or  rather  with  your  wishes,  Onesime." 

"  It's  all  one." 

"Chephren,  Monsieur  Coquillard,  also  obliged  the  Egyptians  to 
build  him  a  pyramid,  Ur't-the-Great." 

"A  good  dog  hunts  by  hereditary  instinct." 

"  '  The  Egyptians  ' — it's  Herodotus  who  is  speaking — '  have  such 
an  aversion  for  the  memory  of  those  two  kings,  whose  odious 
reputation  of  tyranny  outlived  their  death  for  centuries,  that  they 
will  not  even  name  them  ;  they  call  these  monuments,  for  this 
reason,  by  the  name  of  a  shepherd,  Philitis,  who  in  those  days  took 
his  flocks  to  feed  in  that  neighbourhood.'  " 

"  You  see,"  interrupted  Onesime,  beaming,  "  that  I  am  not  the 
only  one  who  has  them  in  horror,  these  monsters  of  Pharaohs  ;  already, 
in  their  own  time,  the  people  could  not  bear  them." 

"  Always  according  to  tradition.  Monsieur  Coquillard  ;  Diodorus 
goes  even  so  far  as  to  say  that  neitlier  Cheops  nor  Chephren  enjoyed 
their  tombs,  the  people  in  fury  having  risen  and  torn  their  bodies 
from  the  sarcophagi." 

"  They  were  not  hated  without  deserving  it,  those  tomb-builders, 
if  the  thing  be  true." 

"  The  successor  of  Chephren,  Mycerinus,  even-tempered  and 
beloved  of  his  subjects  though  he  was,  nevertheless  had  his 
pyramid  built." 

"  I  no  longer  follow  you,  Monsieur  Keradec.  Why  did  the 
Egyptians  show  so  much  indulgence  for  this  Mycerinus,  who  played 
them  the  same  trick  with  his  pyramid  as  Cheops   and   Chephren  ? 


HISTORY    AND    LEGENDS    OF    THE    PYRAMIDS.  181 

I  understand  their  hatred  for  these  two  latter,  but  I  cannot  comprehend 
their  love  for  the  third." 

"  That  would  seem  to  prove,  Monsieur  Coquillard,  that  either 
Herodotus  has  made  a  mistake  or  has  been  deceived,  and  that  the 
Egyptians,  after  all,  were  not  very  discontented  with  their  kings.  It 
is  also  said  of  Myceriuus  that,  having  fallen  in  love  with  his  own 
daughter,  he  took  her  by  violence ;  that  this  young  princess  having 
strangled  herself  through  despair,  her  father  had  her  body  placed  in 
a  wooden  heifer  which  he  had  had  gilded,  and  that  she  received  divine 
honours.  It  is  added  that  her  mother  had  the  hands  of  her  dausrhter's 
attendants  cut  off  for  having  delivered  her  to  Myceriuus." 

"  A  model  father.     What  else  ?  " 

"  A  sliort  time  after  the  loss  of  his  only  daughter  he  knew  by  an 
oracle  that  he  had  only  six  years  to  live,  and  that  he  would  die  in  the 
seventh.  The  oracle,  consulted  again,  having  confirmed  the  prophecy, 
Myceriuus  had  recourse  to  stratagem.  He  had  a  great  number  of 
lamps  made.  When  the  night  came  he  had  them  lighted,  and  passed 
his  time  drinking  and  enjoying  himself  without  interruption  either 
day  or  night.  He  intended,  by  converting  days  into  nights,  to  double 
the  number  of  years — of  six  to  make  twelve — and  to  show  the  oracle 
had  lied." 

"  A  nice  family  I  One  prostitutes,  the  other  ravishes,  his  own 
daughter,  and  is  then  drunk  day  and  night  for  six  consecutive  years  ; 
and  that's  the  famous  legendary  wisdom  of  Egypt  which  was  inherited 
by  the  Greeks.  I  wouldn't  have  accejtted  the  legacy  until  I  had  seen 
an  inventory  of  it  I  " 

"  Diodorus  of  Sicily  attributes  this  pyramid  to  Inarus.  Others 
pretend  that  it  is  the  tomb  of  the  courtesan  Rhodojiis,  '  with  rosy 
cheeks.' 

''Strabo  relates,  in  reference  to  this,  the  following  charming 
legend  :  One  day,  while  bathing,  au  eagle  carried  off  one  of  her  shoes, 
which  was  being  held  by  her  attendant,  and  took  it  to  Memphis. 
The  king  was  then  meting  out  justice.  The  eagle,  hovering  above  his 
head,  let  the  slipper  foil  in  his  lap.  The  sovereign,  surprised  at  this 
singular  event  and  at  the  smallness  of  the  shoe,  had  the  woman  to 


182  THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 

whom  it  belonged  sought  for  throiio:liout  the  land.  She  was  found  at 
Naucratis  ;  they  presented  her  to  the  king,  and  he  made  her  his  wife. 
When  she  died  they  gave  her  this  pyramid  for  a  sepulchre." 

"  That  was  very  nice,  anyhow,"  admitted  One'sime. 

"  Herodotus,  alas  !  destroys  this  pretty  Cinderella  story  in  a  few 
lines.  Rhodopis,  whom  Sappho  calls  Doricha,  he  says,  was  horn  in 
Thrace.  She  was  a  slave  of  ladmon,  a  man  of  Hepha^stopolis,  in  the 
island  of  Samos,  a  companion  in  slavery  of  iEsop  the  fabulist.  She 
was  brought  to  Egypt  by  Xanthus,  of  Samos,  to  exercise  the  calling 
of  courtesan.  Charaxus,  of  Mitylene,  son  of  Scamandronyme  and 
brother  of  Sappho,  gave  a  considerable  sum  for  her  ransom.  Having 
thus  recovered  her  liberty,  she  remained  in  Egypt,  where  her  beauty 
procured  her  great  wealth  for  a  woman  of  her  class,  but  much  inferior 
to  what  was  necessary  to  build  such  a  pyramid.  Besides,  the  amount 
of  her  fortune  is  known,  a  tenth  part  having  been  laid  out  by  her  in 
purchasing  iron  spits  to  roast  bullocks  for  the  Temple  of  Delj)hi,  so  as 
to  transmit  her  name  to  posterity.  Moreover,  Rhodopis  did  not  live 
under  Mycerinus,  but  under  Amasis  ;  that  is  to  say,  many  years  after 
the  death  of  the  kings  who  built  the  pyramids." 

"  So  much  the  worse,"  said  Jacques.     "  I  liked  the  legend  better." 

"  The  truth  is  very  ugly,  then,  for  you  to  prefer  the  fable," 
remarked  Onesime,  jeeringly.  "  Fortunately,  you  are  not  an  historian, 
or  you  would  relate  fine  things,  with  your  fancy  for  the  marvellous." 

"  You,"  responded  Jacques,  "if  you  were  an  historian,  you  would 
hold  a  class  on  morality,  or  on  the  history  of  the  pot-au-feu,  from  the 
commencement  of  the  world  to  our  own  times." 

"  Do  not  despise  the  j^ot-au-feu  too  much  !  A  Minister  fell  in 
France  because  he  did  not  appreciate  it  as  he  should  have  done  in 
politics." 

"  But  what  could  have  been,  in  your  opinion.  Monsieur  Coquillard, 
the  aim  of  the  authors  of  the  pyramids  ?  I  am  curious  to  learn  your 
views." 

"  The  aim,  Monsieur  Ke'radec  ?  Has  a  madman  any  aim  ?  Does 
one  discuss  the  acts  of  a  jjcrsou  deprived  of  the  power  of  discerning  ? 
For  this  pretentious  dolmen,  as  well  as  all  its  megalithic  congeners, 


onesdie's  theoeies.  183 

is  the  work  of  a  cruel  fool  served  by  a  gang  of  imbecile  slaves,  under 
the  direction  of  an  architect  who  is  all  the  more  blamable  for  lending 
himself  to  this  monstrous  farce,  as  he  possessed  greater  talent.  One 
should  not  squander  one's  genius  on  tomfoolery,  even  though  it 
assume  colossal  proportions.  That  is  what  I  think  of  this  calcareous 
fetish,  of  this  stuj^id  and  murderous  idol  ;  this  Egyptian  Melkarth, 
that,  raised  amidst  the  maledictions  of  an  atrociously  oppressed  people, 
absorbed  for  thirty  years,  without  truce  or  mercy,  the  work  and  often 
the  lives  of  thousands  of  poor  creatures,  to  satisfy  the  ghastly  whim 
of  a  vain  Pharaoh,  passing  his  life  in  preparing  a  first-class  funeral 
for  himself. 

"As  to  those  symbols  of  eternity,  those  epithets  of  sublime  and 
other  idle  terms,  ejusdemforince,  with  which  you  gratuitously  muffle 
up  this  massive  extinguisher,  which  has  so  easily  set  your  imagina- 
tion in  activity,  expressions  that  would  really  make  any  one  think 
that  an  infinity  of  elevated  and  superhuman  ideas  had  presided  at 
its  erection — well,  profound  men  that  you  are,  grave  Egyptologists, 
they  must  be  utilised  elsewhere  ;  the  skin  does  not  fit  the  animal  I 
You  have  once  more  allowed  your  imagination  to  carry  you  away  for 
nothing.  In  face  of  the  requirements  of  your  too  narrow  logic  and  the 
astounding  abstractions  of  your  thought,  which  will  not  admit  the 
uselessness,  as  absolute  as  evident,  of  such  a  work,  you  are  in  vain 
puzzling  yourselves  to  find  a  pretext,  if  not  a  reason,  for  its  existence  ; 
you  cannot  or  you  will  not  get  into  your  heads  that  this  hybrid 
mountain  was  built  without  rhyme  or  reason,  and  you  are  racking  your 
brains  to  find  out  the  why,  in  proportion  to  its  size,  of  a  thing  which 
never  had  any  other  reason  for  its  existence  than  the  mad  fit  of  a 
despot  afflicted  with  the  monomania  of  a  tomb  on  a  large  scale,  a 
disease  which  he  transmitted  to  his  descendants.  It  is  Pharaoh,  that 
great  conculcator  of  the  people,  as  he  called  himself,  who  would 
enjoy  a  good  laugh  if  he  could  hear  you  confabulating  in  this  way  on 
his  masonry,  striving  to  explain  this  riddle  which  he  has  uncon- 
sciously left  behind  him,  unless  one  supposes  that  he  did  so  with  the 
malicious  thought  of  tormenting  the  learned  men  who  would  follow, 
or  attributes  to  him  the  intention  of  providing  an  income  for  the  tribe 


184  THE  LAND  OF  THE  SPHINX. 

of  Arabs  who  show  his  tomb — his  descendants,  no  doubt.  If  it  be  so, 
it  is  the  action  of  a  good  father,  and  quite  in  accordance  with  the 
habits  of  the  country,  where  they  live  by  their  ancestors,  where  the 
sons  retail  the  mummies  of  their  parents  to  foreigners.  If  you  think 
I  exaggerate,  look  ! "'  And  Out^sime,  drawing  with  precaution  some- 
thing black,  surrounded  by  wraps,  from  his  coat  pocket,  took  it  delicately 
between  the  thumb  and  forefinger,  and  satisfied  the  curiosity  of  his 
listeners. 

"  What  on  earth  is  that  ?  "  asked  Jacques. 

"  That,"  said  Onesime  triumphantly,  "  that  is  the  hand  of  Ouser- 
keres,  in  Egyptian  Ousourkaf,  first  king  of  the  old  Memphite  dynasty, 
Ancient  Empire,  first  period  !  That  is  what  it  is.  At  least  that  is 
what  one  of  those  Bedouins  who  hoisted  me  to  the  top  of  Cheops  told 
me,  when  he  sold  it  me  in  spite  of  myself,  and  who  seemed  as  if  he 
would  leave  me  on  the  way  if  I  didn't  buy  it !  I  feel  convinced  that 
it's  the  hand  of  his  grandfather,  perhaps  of  his  father." 

"  Or  his  own,"  said  Keradec,  who  had  just  attentively  examined 
the  pretended  hand  of  Ouserkeres. 

"  Or  his  own  ?  "  exclaimed  the  stupefied  Jacques  and  Onesime  in 
one  breath. 

"  Yes,  his  own  I     That  surprises  you  ?  " 

"  More  than  you  imagine." 

"  Yon  see  that  great  fellow  stretched  out  on  the  ground  there, 
warming  himself  in  the  sand  like  a  lizard  ?  " 

''  But  that's  the  man  who  sold  it  me." 

"  I  thought  so.  Well  !  I  know  him.  Monsieur  Coquillard  ;  it's 
Youssouf" 

"  I  believe  you,  but  that  doesn't  explain  to  me  how  this  hand " 

"  Is  his.  Patience  I  You  have,  or  perhaps  you  have  not,  noticed 
that  he  has  lost  tlie  hand  of  his  left  arm  ?  " 

"  Exactly,  I  remember  it  now." 

"  And  your  hand  of  Ouserkeres  is  a  left  hand  ?  " 

"  Yes,  but  still  that  would  not  prove " 

"  No  !  But  it  is  of  public  notoriety  that  Youssouf,  four  years  ago, 
mutilated  himself  in  order  not  to  serve  as  a  soldier,  that  to  make  up 


HISTOKY    OF    YOUSSOUf's   HAND.  185 

for  the  loss  of  his  hand  he  mummified  it,  and  since  then  he  has  been 
endeavouring  to  get  rid  of  it  for  a  monetary  consideration.  He  has 
ended  by  palming  the  unsaleable  article  off  on  you.  Last  year  it 
was  the  hand  of  Amenhotep,  after  having  been  successively  that  of 
Sesostris,  Rameses,  and  others." 

"  But  how  did  this  become  known  ?  " 

"  Everything  is  known  here,  the  Arabs  are  so  talkative  I  More- 
over it  was  easy  to  guess:  Youssouf  had  had  his  middle  finger  maimed, 
of  course,  previous  to  the  amputation  ;  the  small  phalanx  of  it  was 
wanting,  and  if  you  observe  the  hand  that  is  in  yours,  you  will  notice 
that  that  anatomical  part  is  absent.  Besides,  the  rascal  a  long  time 
ago  acknowledged  the  deceit,  not  being  al)le  to  hide  it  any  longer." 

"  Well !  that's  a  crusher,"  said  Ondsime,  throwing  Youssouf's  hand 
far  away  from  him. 

"  Isn't  it  ?  " 

"  Dissect  and  retail  oneself  I  " 

"But,  my  dear  Ondsime,  they  do  the  same  at  home,  less  the 
mummifying,  to  avoid  the  conscription ;  it's  likely  enough,  even, 
that  the  Egyptians  borrowed  this  habit  from  us,  along  with  that  of 
drawing  lots." 

"  Anyhow,  you  will  nut  tell  me  that  we  sell  our  grandfathers  and 
live  on  their  corpses  ?  " 

"  Faith  !  almost  :  doesn't  a  nobleman  live  on  his  ancestors  ?  Is  it 
not  true  that  the  consideration  that  attaches  to  an  illustrious  descendant 
of  a  still  more  illustrious  family  permits  of  his  picking  up  a  fat 
wedding  dowry  among  the  silly  bourgeoisie,  finding  a  little  goose 
sufficiently  vain  and  dazzled  by  heraldry  to  '  manure  Lis  lands,' 
according  to  the  impertinent  expression  of  these  agreeable  noblemen  ? 
Free,  it  is  true,  once  the  marriage  consummated  and  the  wedding 
portion  secured,  not  to  receive  the  bride's  parents,  of  whom  he  is 
ashamed,  and  to  relegate  to  the  loft,  after  her  demise,  the  portrait  of 
the  intruder,  tolerated  rather  than  accepted  by  this  society,  which  she 
entered  with  a  golden  key  and  left  by  the  door  of  oblivion,  unworthy 
to  figure  in  the  gallery  of  portraits  of  the  family,  who  were  already 
offended  at  seeing  her  there  in  her  lifetime." 


186  THE  LAND  OF  THE  SPHINX. 

"  And,  nevertheless,"  added  Keradec,  "  the  unfortunate  woman  had 
done  more  than  darn  the  noble  rag,  and  regild  the  faded  coat-of-arms. 
She  had  i)ut  into  the  veins  of  the  successors  that  her  robust  fecundity 
gave  to  her  laTnguid  aristocratic  husband  a  little  of  the  vigour  that 
labour  deposits  in  the  red  blood  of  the  plebeian  class  from  which  she 
came,  enriching  the  blue  blood  j^ervaded  by  the  serum  of  those  idle 
and  morbid  races,  the  bastard  produce  of  the  descendants  of  the 
Crusaders." 

"  Shall  we  be  off  ?  "  inquired  Jacques,  leaving  his  seat  with  the 
Doctor,  and  all  three  advanced  towards  the  haunted  pyramid  of 
Myceriuus. 

"  I  say,  I  hope  we  have  finished  with  peregrinations  and  ascensions 
intra^  extra,  and,  above  all,  supra  mnros,''^  sighed  On^sime. 

"  Make  your  mind  easy.  We  have  time  for  a  pipe  and  to  take  a 
stroll  through  a  few  mastabas  to  give  us  an  appetite,  and  we  will  go 
and  recruit  our  strength  in  the  shade  of  the  Sphinx." 

"  Recruit  our  strength  ?  " 

''  Yes.     A  surprise  I  have  in  store  for  j'OU." 

"  By  Jove  !  what  a  splendid  idea  you  have  had,  Jacques  !  And  is 
the  feed  to  be  a  serious  one  ?  " 

"  Serious  as  your  appetite  ;  I  joke  with  you,  but  never  with  your 
stomach;  it  is  too  captious  in  that  respect.  And,"  consulting  his  watch, 
"  it  is  eleven  o'clock,"  he  continued ;  "  our  automedon  must  be  prepar- 
ing the  provisions.  Our  landlord,  who  is  our  ampliitryon,  has  acted 
handsomely  ;  there  are,  among  other  choice  things,  truffles  and  a  flask 
of  Clos-Vougeot  of  a  fair  year — a  feast  for  a  king  !  He  knows  3'our 
tastes,  shares  them,  and  it  gives  him  pleasure  to  satisfy  them,  so  far 
as  he  is  able." 

"  Truffles  !  Olos-Vougeot  !  "  repeated  One'sime,  whose  face  was  all 
at  once  beaming.     "  Are  you  sure  there  are  truffles  ?  " 

"  I  affirm  it !  " 

"  And  Clos-Vougeot  !  of  an— age  ?  " 

"  Respectable." 

"  Oh  !  what  a  good,  what  an  excellent  man  this  landlord  is  !  How 
can  I  express  to  him  my  gratitude  ?    Jacques  !  you'll  do  his  portrait  ? 


TRUFFLES    AND    CLOS-VOUGEOT.  187 

Truffles  !  Clos-Vougeot  !  and  of  a  fair  year,  ye  gods  !  It's  well  worth 
a  portrait,  isn't  it  ?  It  shall  not  be  said  that  I  have  been  ungrateful 
to  so  amiable  a  man." 

"  You  mean  that  it  is  I  who  shall  not  have  been  ungrateful,  because 
I  shall  have  done  the  portrait." 

"  Yes,  but  it  is  I  who  will  present  it,  my  friend." 

"  Oh  !     Then  it's  different !  " 

"  Reflect — you  cannot  do  everything  !  " 

"  That's  true." 

And  Jacques,  although  accustomed  to  his  friend's  ways,  could  not 
keep  himself  from  laughing  heartily  at  the  singular  manner,  so  naively 
suggested  to  him  by  his  egotism,  of  paying  the  debts  of  his  stomach 
with  the  work  of  others.  Keradec  had  the  greatest  difficultv  in 
keeping  serious. 

"  Truffles,"  murmured  Ondsime,  "  Would  they  be  from  P^rigord  ?  " 
and  his  eye  inquired  of  Jacques. 

"  Ah  !  as  to  that  I  am  ignorant." 

"  And  the  year  of  the  bottle  ?  " 

"  Equally  so." 

"  Never  mind.  It  does  not  matter  much,  we  shall  see  ;  I  say, 
J  acques,  are  you  sure  your  watch  is  right  ?  " 

"  Perfectly  sure.     Why  ?  " 

"  It  seemed  to  me  it  was  later  than  you  said." 

"  Gourmand  !    It's  your  appetite  that's  in  advance  !  " 

"  Perhaps  I  After  all,  the  alluring  perspective,  of  which  you  have 
just  given  me  an  idea,  in  the  near  future,  has  quite  comforted  me  "  ; 
and  as  a  proof  Ondsime  danced  about  gaily,  and,  seizing  Jac(|ues'  arm, 
started  off  at  a  smart  pace,  humming  a  popular  air. 

"  Not  so  quick,"  said  Jacques  ;  "  reserve  your  strength,  if  only  to 
do  honour  to  the  lunch." 

"  Me  !     I'd  go  to  the  end  of  the  world  now." 

"  It  would  not  be  difficult.  Monsieur  Coquillard  ;  you  can  go  there 
without  moving  from  where  you  are." 

"  How  is  that  ?  " 

"  The  earth  being  spherical,  the  end  of  the  world  is  everywhere." 


188  THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 

"  Oh,  science,  science  !  " 

As  they  talked,  they  reached  the  foot  of  the  pyramid  of  Mycerinus, 
Her-the-Superior. 

"  It  is  much  smaller  than  its  two  neighbours,"  remarked  Jacques. 

"  Yes,"  replied  Keradec ;  "  but  the  interior  chamber  is  more 
beautiful  than  that  of  the  two  others  ;  it  is  entirely  built  of  granite, 
and  the  ceiling,  hewn  in  the  form  of  a  vault,  recalls  the  English  Gothic 
arch ;  moreover,  while  in  the  axis  of  the  pyramid,  it  has  the  peculiarity 
of  being  hollowed  out  in  the  rock,  and  below  the  base  of  the  monument, 
which  covers  rather  than  contains  it. 

"  It  was  formerly  opened  and  closed  again  by  the  Khaliphs  of 
Egypt,  Since  then  it  was  explored,  in  1837,  by  (>olonel  Wyse,  who 
penetrated  into  the  sepulchral  chamber  and  found  the  sarcophagus, 
of  brown  basalt  striated  with  blue  streaks,  which  had  contained 
the  mummy  of  Mycerinus.  He  collected  a  part  of  the  remains  of  the 
wooden  coffin,  and  some  bones  and  bands  of  the  Pharaoh,  which  he 
sent  to  London  to  the  British  Museum.  The  sarcophagus,  which  was 
also  sent  to  England,  went  to  the  bottom  in  sight  of  the  Spanish 
coast  with  the  vessel  that  was  transporting  it. 

"  The  opening  of  other  chambers  and  the  existence  of  numerous 
passages  obstructed  by  rubbish  conveyed  the  idea  that  Her-the- 
Superior  might  contain,  or  have  contained,  another  tomb " 

"  That,  perhaps,  of  your  friend  Doricha  with  the  rosy  cheeks  ? 
Supposing  you  were  to  make  sure  by  visiting  the  inside." 

"I  should  be  afraid,"  answered  Jacques,  "of  profaning  the  chamber 
where  she  reposes  by  my  presence." 

"  And  if  she  were  not  reposing  there  ?  " 

"  Then  to  lose  my  illusions  as  to  the  reality  of  the  existence  of 
the  charming  Cinderella." 

"  And  no  later  than  yesterday  you  stood  upon  high  terms  to  tell  us 
in  a  peremptory  tone  that  '  legends  were  the  splutterings  of  humanity 
in  the  cradle,'  and  this  and  that,  but  now  you  grasp  the  first  legend 
that  comes  like  a  drowning  man  who  seizes  the  pole  that  is  extended 
to  him,  and  you  cling  on  there.     Ah  !  you  weathercock  I  " 

''  I  merely  refer  to  the  legend  you  fling  in  my  face,  out  of  pure 


HER-THE-SUPERIOR.  189 

gallantry  to  a  woman  who  desired  that  her  name  should  be  trans- 
mitted to  posterity." 

"  At  the  point  of  a  spit  for  roasting  bullocks !  " 

"  That  is  quite  as  good,  in  the  interest  of  humanity,  as  going  there 
at  the  point  of  the  sword," 

"  Hold  your  tongue,  will  you  I  Look  here,  you  flirt  with  history 
as  you  coquetted  on  board  the  Said  with  geography.  In  your  hands 
Nero  would  become  a  model  of  all  the  virtues,  Lucullus  would  have  the 
sobriety  of  the  camel,  Messalina  would  be  crowned  a  ros/e'r^,  and  so  on 
the  others  I  And  you  would  merely  be  imitating  the  bold  innovators. 
Thus,  they  quite  recently  made  us  a  Bonaparte  of  a  new  model — 
wonderful  !  Nothing  of  the  old  one,  for  example  :  oh,  nothing  !  He 
is  perfectly  new,  this  Bonaparte  ;  a  real  treat  for  amateurs.  '  Cast 
in  a  rare  mould,  composed  of  different  metal  from  his  fellow-citizens 
and  contemporaries,  a  condottiere  of  mediajval  history  re-born  ;  one 
out  of  the  ordinary,  beyond  comparison  with  Frenchmen  born  in  the 
eighteenth  century  ;  belonging  to  another  race,  to  another  age,  in 
whom  one  perceives  the  foreigner  at  the  first  glance,  the  Italian  and 
something  else  besides,  with  no  similitude  or  analogy  ' — an  impossible 
being,  in  a  word  an  algebraic  formula  ;  nothing  is  wanting,  a  unique 
mould,  special  qualities  of  an  exotic  race  and  of  pre-historic  times,  a 
miracle  of  the  genus  homo,  and  yet  a  foreigner  and  an  Italian,  some- 
thing strange,  allegorical,  which  at  the  same  time  does  and  does  not 
resemble  another  thing  that  does  not  exist. 

"  This  portrait  of  Bonaparte  in  a  new  manner  is  a  masterpiece.  It 
has  none  of  the  features  of  the  '  Scamp  of  St.  Helena,'  by  another 
fanciful  writer,  and  which  proves  much  in  favour  of  the  vivacious 
imagination  of  its  author,  of  his  picturesque  ingenuity,  and  of  his 
repugnance  to  keep  in  beaten  tracks.  He  is  the  worthy  emulator 
of  a  certain  mayor,  profoundly  learned,  who,  in  a  book  entitled 
'  Literary  and  Historical  Rectifications,'  undertakes  to  convince  us, 
with  a  grand  reinforcement  of  proofs  and  '  authentic '  documents, 
that  Joan  of  Arc  was  never  burned  at  llouen,  that  she  was  saved 
by  devoted  friends  and  married  to  a  Lorraine  nobleman.  Well,  my 
dear  Jacques,  you  handle  facts  in  the  same  way  :  you  take  a  tale  here^ 


190  THE  LAND  OF  THE  SPHINX. 

a  piece  of  gossip  there,  a  little  anecdote  somewhere  else,  an  extract 
from  secret  memoirs;  you  look  out  some  strange  words,  glaring,  violent; 
you  slip  a  little  wit  into  all  this,  even  a  good  deal,  set  it  in  a  pictorial 
frame,  improved  l)y  a  well-tnrned  style,  with  a  phrase  sometimes 
sufficiently  incomprehensible  for  the  reader  to  be  obliged  to  admire,  in 
confidence,  a  depth  that  escapes  him,  and  yon  fly  your  little  historical 
canard  very  prettily.  It's  a  new  system  imitated  from  Alcibiades  of 
twisting  the  tail  of  one's  dog,  and  cutting  the  ground  from  under  the 
feet  of  the  learned,  those  imj^assioned  erudites  of  science,  those  galley- 
slaves  of  study,  bending  over  big  folios,  eager  in  the  pursuit  of  truth; 
poor  creatures,  ignorant  of  life,  passing  their  own  lives  in  reading  and 
re-modelling  those  of  the  generations  that  have  preceded  them." 

"  It's  more  honest  than  giving  them  sops,  as  some  do,  covering 
their  inexactitude  of  facts  by  their  daring  assertions." 

"  You  practise  insinuation  while  others  make  use  of  intimidation, 
but  you  all  arrive  at  the  same  result." 

"That  of?" 

"  That  of  misrepresentation  I  " 

"  My  system,  however,  is  more  polite." 

"  But  more  dangerous  ;  your  weakness  for  fable  and  your  facility 
in  accepting  it  can  only  be  compared  to  your  indifference  for  truth 
and  your  carelessness  in  ascertaining  facts  ;  you  consider  the  oppor- 
tunity rather  than  the  reality  ;  your  history  is  a  pretentious  legend, 
witty  or  sentimental,  attired  in  the  garments  of  the  historical;  a  bare- 
faced servant,  who  impertinently  adorns  herself  in  the  gown  of  her 
mistress." 

Jacques  bowed,  smiling. 

The  three  friends,  as  they  were  talking,  had  almost  got  round  the 
pyramid  ;  as  they  turned  the  angle  on  the  northern  side  they  fell  into 
the  midst  of  Cook  and  Son's  packages. 

"  Hullo  ! "  cried  in  a  single  moment  the  six  voices  of  those  tourists, 
with  a  familiarity  that  was  rather  disagreeable.  "  Where  are  you 
going,  old  boys  ?  " 

"  Where  you  have  probably  come  from,"  Jacques  answered  in 
English ;  "  we  are  going  to  have  a  look  at  Chejihren's  monument." 


COOK  AND  son's  PACKAGES.  191 

"  Oh,  Chephren  ! "'  exclaimed  the  educated  one  of  the  jjarty  in 
broken  French ;  "  very  pretty.  We've  all  got  a  little  bit  of  the 
pyramids  of  Chephren  and  Cheops  in  our  bags.  Have  you  a  small 
piece  of  the  stone,  Mounsieu  Coquwillarde  ?  " 

"  Neither  large  nor  small.  I  don't  understand  carrying  off  the 
pyramids  of  others,  like  that,  in  my  pockets;  I  prefer  taking  away  with 
me  the  esteem  of  the  people  I  visit,  rather  than  their  monuments."  "It's 
cool  of  those  persons,"  he  growled  between  his  teeth,  "  to  boast  of  such 
a  thing.  It  was  quite  bad  enough  to  murder  my  name,  without  going 
and  stupidly  tearing  the  epidermis  away  from  these  poor  pyramids." 

"  And  you,  Mister  Jack,  have  you  secured  some  pieces  of  the  old 
witches  ?  " 

"  Not  even  the  smallest.  I  consider  that  Time,  the  terrible 
destroyer,  has  no  need  of  assistance,  certainly  not  of  such  a  zealous 
nature,  in  his  ugly  work.  You  ought,  while  you're  about  it,  to  put 
a  little  sunshine  in  your  pockets  ;  it  would  be  welcome  in  London  !  " 

"  Very  good  joke  indeed  ! "  exclaimed  the  spokesman  tourist ; 
"  it  ought  to  be  sent  to  Punchr  And  the  sentence  ran  from  mouth 
to  mouth  until  it  reached  the  sixth,  while  a  phenomenal  smile  passed 
through  the  circle  of  inane  and  vulgar  faces  exhibited  by  these  cockneys, 
who  had  been  packed  up  in  London,  and  here  let  loose  by  Cook  and 
Son  in  the  land  of  the  Pharaohs.  A  shudder  of  disgust  overran  the 
usual  serenity  of  one  of  the  Parisians,  and  he  instinctively  recoiled 
before  the  tone  which  their  conversation  had  taken. 

"  A  very  good  joke  indeed.  Mister  Jack  !  "  This  was  the  last 
echo  of  the  mirth  which,  passing  from  one  to  the  other,  came  and 
died  on  the  lips  of  the  sixth  Cook's  Tourist. 

"  A  good  joke  it  may  be,  but  assuredly  less  offensive  and  more 
straightforward  than  the  act  of  vandalism  you  have  just  accomplished. 
When  people  receive  you  in  their  homes  and  show  you  their  knick- 
knacks,  it  is  worse  than  bad  taste  to  break  pieces  off  and  carry  them 
away  as  souvenirs.  I  cannot  congratulate  you,  gentlemen,  and  I  wish 
you  good  day."  And  Jacques,  touching  his  hat,  continued  on  his  way, 
while  the  six  tourists,  escorted  by  their  eighteen  Arabs,  sprang 
forward  to  the  assault  of  Mycerinus. 


192  THE  LAND  Of  THE  SPHINX. 

"Put  that  in  your  bags  with  yonr  little  pieces  of  stone,"  said 
Onesime,  imitating  the  pronunciation  of  the  Cookites.  •'  How  ugly 
they  are,  all  the  same  !     What  bad  samples  of  England  !  " 

"If  they  were  only  ugly,"  replied  Keradec;  "but  they  are  also 
dangerous  with  that  criminal  mania  which  makes  them  attack  every- 
thing and  dilapidate  right  and  left.  If  they  are  allowed  to  continue, 
in  another  century  not  a  single  monument  will  be  intact ;  they  will 
have  done  more  damage  in  a  few  years  than  time  in  ages  !  " 

"  Chephren's  pyramid,  Ur't-the-Great,  has  at  least  had  the  wit 
to  keep  on  a  part  of  his  outer  clothing  of  granite,  which  protects 
him  against  the  destructive  curiosity  of  these  idiotic  tourists." 

"  I  would  bet,"  added  Onesime,  "  that  Bonaparte's  forty  centuries 
that  formerly  lodged  on  Khout  sought  refuge  there  to  escape  from 
these  stupid  lithoclasts  ;  and  one  must  imagine  that  they  have  led 
a  hard  life  these  poor  forty  centuries,  for  they  have  become  two 
thousand  years  older  since  Bonaparte  quitted  Egypt." 

"  That  was  perhaps  out  of  regret  at  seeing  him  leave  them  !  " 

Keradec  called  their  attention  to  a  few  traces,  visible  in  places, 
of  the  basement  or  stylobatum  on  which  is  built  the  pyramid 
of  Chephren,  less  buried  in  rubbish  than  its  neighbours;  then,  to 
On^sime's  great  delight,  they  advanced  towards  the  Sphinx  :  they  soon 
reached  a  spot  from  which  it  could  be  seen. 

But  there  Onesime  could  perceive  the  final  preparations  for 
lunch  ;  with  moist  lips,  sparkling  eyes,  dilated  nostrils,  he  seemed 
to  sniff  from  afar,  in  the  air,  vague  odours  of  truffles,  and  to  imagine 
he  inhaled  the  intoxicating  bouquet  of  the  divine  bottle  of  Burgundy, 
and  his  stomach  thrilled  with  the  violence  of  his  eager  desire  !  He 
hastened  his  steps,  accelerated  at  each  second  ;  then,  all  at  once, 
unable  to  restrain  himself  any  longer,  giving  way  to  the  imperious 
entreaties  of  his  appetite,  dashed  along  at  full  speed  towards  the 
object  so  ardently  pursued,  while  Jacques  and  the  Doctor  stopped  to 
contemplate  the  Sphinx. 

The  monster,  with  a  human  head,  the  body  of  a  lion,  hewn  in 
the  rock  itself,  rests  squatting  in  its  calm  and  powerful  attitude, 
buried  to  the  shoulders  in  its  shroud  of  sand  ;  the  head  alone  emerges, 


'Klliriiiililllilii:i:iliii!ii!!!lllia!illllilliB!iint! 


13 


THE    WATCHilAN    OF    THE    DESEET. 


195 


bearing  the  imprint  of  that  imposing  serenity  which  one  finds  every- 
where on  the  visages  of  the  gods  in  Egyptian  statuary.  Its  placid 
face,  to  which  the  mutilated  nose,  a  deep  incision  in  the  forehead, 
and  the  broad  gaslies  furrowing  its  cheeks,  give  a  redoubtable 
appearance,  contemplates  the  Orient,  searching  the  desert  with  its 
melancholy  look ;  its  thick-lipped  mouth,  slightly  curled  up  at  the 
corners,  has  the  vague  and  long  resigned  smile  of  the  fellaheen  ;  its 


Chephren's  Pyramid, 

large  ear  seems  to  listen  to  every  murmur,  and  on  its  giant-like  neck 
the  royal  bands  that  ornament  its  forehead  fall  in  rigid  plaits. 

This  strange  figure,  "  the  marvellous  production  of  the  gods,"  is 
frightful  in  its  solemn  immobility  ;  one  feels  oneself  shudder  before 
this  mute  guardian  of  Cyclopean  tombs,  this  advanced  sentinel  of 
I^gypt,  whose  mysterious  gaze  eternally  fathoms  the  depths  of  the 
desert,  listening  impassive  to  the  distant  hollow  sound  of  advancing 
hosts  coming  upon  the  land  of  tlie  Pharaohs,  as  it  once  listened  to 


196  THE  LAKD  OF  THE  SPHINX. 

the  lamentations  and  despairing  maledictions  of  the  labourers  who 
built  the  pyramids. 

The  flux  and  reflux  of  invasions  have  beaten  against  its  stone 
breast  without  shaking  it  ;  time  has  forgotten  it,  and  for  more  than 
six  thousand  years  the  sombre  visage  of  the  genius  of  Africa  continues 
to  gaze  at  the  Orient  and  to  receive  the  morning  kiss  of  Horus. 

It  is  the  ancestor,  disfigured  by  pigmies,  of  that  mute  race  of 
Titans  hewn  summarily  in  the  granite,  with  astonishing  delicacy 
of  chisel,  observing  the  centuries  pass  by,  stiff'ened  in  their  rigid 
attitudes. 

It  is  "the  Father  of  the  Terrible"  of  the  Arabs,  who  fly  from 
this  enormous  head  which  rises  out  of  the  earth. 

Finally,  it  is  the  monstrous  enigma  of  the  history  of  Egypt  which, 
in  proportion  as  one  seeks  to  penetrate  the  mystery,  removes  farther 
and  farther  away  the  landmarks  of  an  historical  past,  which  is  lost 
still  more  profoundly  in  the  night  of  ages. 

"  Was  it  not  a  symbol  ?  Did  it  not  personify  Horus  ? "  asked 
Jacques. 

"  Yes  ;  for  the  Egyptians  it  was  Hor-Em-Kou,  Horus  in  the 
brilliant  sun.  The  Greeks  called  it  Harmachis,  Horus  on  the  horizon, 
and  also  Agathodemon  ;  it  symbolised  the  victory  of  Horus  over 
Typhon,  of  light  over  darkness  ;  and  personified  the  idea,  reduced 
to  its  most  simple  expression,  but  boldly  set  forth,  of  the  resurrection. 
Formerly  it  was  overlaid  with  a  coating  of  red  colour,  of  which  some 
traces  remain.  At  the  period  of  Cheops  it  was  restored,  which 
gives  it  then  a  respectable  age,  but  one  does  not  yet  know  to  whom 
to  attribute  the  foundation.  Will  the  excavations  that  are  being 
made  at  this  moment  give  the  secret  of  the  enigma  ?  Is  there  any- 
thing else  between  the  paws  of  the  Sphinx  than  the  altar,  the  little 
model  shrine,  and  the  lion  discovered  by  Caviglia  at  the  commence- 
ment of  this  century,  or  in  the  granite  temple  found  by  Mariette  in 
the  neighbourhood  ?     The  future  will  tell  us." 

"And  what  was  that  granite  temple.  Monsieur  Keradec  ?  " 

"  It  was  the  Temple  of  the  Sphinx,  at  least  it  is  thought  so,  but  I 
see  your  friend  Monsieur  Coquillard,  who  is  signalling  to  us  to  come  ; 


THE    TEMPLE    OF    THE    SPHINX. 


197 


it  wonld  be  unkind  to  make  his  stomacli  wait  too  long,  and  we  should 
do  well  to  go  and  join  him." 

"  At  last !  "  exclaimed  Onesime,  seeing  them  approach  ;  and 
when  they  were  all  seated  on  a  soft  Turkey  carpet,  around  an 
immaculate  white  table-cloth,  on  which  Mahmoud,  their  Arab  coach- 
man, had  placed  the  victuals,  he  gave  a  final  glance,  and  seeing 
everything  arranged  to  his  desire,  he  said  in  a  grave  tone,  "  Now, 
gentlemen,  to  table  I "    and    seating    himself   with    his   le^s   crossed 


— .-.T^. 


-,S^^ 


The  Temple  of  the  Sphinx. 


Arab  fashion,  he  took  possession  of  an  appetising  truffled  fowl, 
which  he  began  to  cut  in  pieces  with  surprising  dexterity.  There  soon 
remained  nothing  of  the  succulent  poulard  but — the  souvenir.  The 
other  provisions  disappeared  with  the  same  rapidity.  At  dessert, 
Onesime,  with  solemn  deliberation,  uncorked  the  venerable  bottle  of 
Clos-Vougeot — "  Your  countrywoman,"  said  he  to  Jacques.  He  was 
quite  charmed  when  the  perfume  of  its  bouquet  reached  him,  and  it 
was  with  a  sort  of  tenderness  that  he  filled  the  glasses ;  listening 
attentively  to  the  harmonious  tune  of  its  gurgling,  he  praised  as  a 


198  THE  LAND  OF  THE  SPHINX. 

connoisseur  the  rutilant  onion-peel  colour  of  tlie  infatuating  nectar. 
Then,  raising  Ms  glass,  smiling  at  the  rosy  liquor  :  "  Gentlemen,"  he 
said,  "  honour  to  whom  honour  is  due.  I  drink  to  Noah,  who  was  the 
first  to  plant  the  vine  I  "  And  he  absorbed  at  one  draught  the  contents 
of  the  glass.     "  To  the  last  drop,  gentlemen,"  he  added. 

"Your  toast  is  wrong.  Monsieur  Coquillard,"  said  the  Doctor, 
setting  down  his  empty  glass  ;  "  we  should  drink  to  the  glory  of  tlie 
divine  Osiris." 

"  Never !  " 

"  To  Osiris,"  continued  Ke'radec,  "  who,  after  having  instructed  man 

in  agriculture " 

"  I  don't  care  a  bit  for  that  !  " 

"  He  found  the  vine  in  the  land  of  Nyse,  discovered  the  secret  of 
cultivating  it,  was  the  first  to  drink  wine,  and  taught  the  Egyptians 
how  to  make  it  and  preserve  it." 

"  Ah  I  By  Jove  !  If  that  be  true  it  was  a  stroke  of  genius  on  his 
part." 

"  The  Greeks  called  him  Dionysus,  from  the  name  of  his  father  Ion 
and  that  of  the  town  of  Nyse,  where  he  had  been  brought  up ;  they 
also  say  that  he  was  none  other  than  Bacchus,  and  that  he  went  over 
the  rest  of  the  universe  teaching  mankind  to  cultivate  the  earth  and 
plant  the  vine,  and  to  renounce  at  the  same  time  their  barbarous  habit 
of  eating  each  other." 

"  Another  glory  overboard  !  After  all,  I  do  not  much  regret  it  ! 
He  was  a  pitiful  drinker,  Father  Noah,  who  did  not  know  how  to  carry 
his  wine  decently." 

"  And,"  added  Keradec,  "  he  had  children  who  were  very  badly 
brought  up." 

"  I  withdraw  my  toast.  To  Osiris  then  !  "  and  Onesime,  filling  the 
glasses  again,  warmly  toasted  the  benefactor  of  humanity. 

Then  Mahmoud  handed  them  the  coffee;  the  Doctor  rolled  a 
cigarette,  Jacques  pulled  out  his  pipe  and  Onesime  a  cigar  ;  and  there, 
in  the  shade  of  the  Sphinx,  beneath  the  blue  sky,  on  that  golden  sand, 
they  indulged  in  an  indolent,  delicious,  idle  doze,  yielding  to  the  sweet 
oppression  of  a  voluptuous  digestion.     They  suffered  themselves  to  be 


TO    THE    HEALTH   OF    OSIRIS  !  199 

slowly  penetrated  by  the  enjoyment  produced  by  that  subtle  glow 
which  irradiates  from  the  stomach,  the  mysterious  laboratory  where 
the  synthesis  of  our  aliments  is  solved  ;  and  whence  the  blood,  after 
being  aerated  by  the  lungs,  becomes  charged  with  vital  force,  the 
gift  of  the  sun,  which  causes  to  circulate  in  all  our  being  happiness, 
strength,  life. 

Onesime  was  the  incarnate  personification  of  absolute  beatitude ; 
his  back  against  a  cushion  of  the  carriage,  which  he  had  made 
Mahmoud  jjlace  between  him  and  the  rock,  with  arms  crossed,  the 
mouth  half  open,  the  eyes  moist,  he  was  no  longer  conscious  of  any- 
thing, if  not  of  the  well-being  in  which  he  revelled. 

"  You  don't  happen  to  have  a  looking-glass  ?  "  he  inquired  lang- 
uidly of  Jacques. 

"  A  looking-glass  ?     No.     "What  for  ?  " 
"  To  gaze  at  myself  and  contemplate  my  happiness." 
"  Sybarite,  who  wishes  to  enjoy  the  very  reflection  of  his  happiness !  " 
"  It's  so  delightful  to  be  happy,"  murmured  Onesime,  while  his 
eyelids  closed.     "  Honest   Osiris  !     And  it  is  to  thee,  the  father  of 
wine,  that  I  owe  this  supreme  felicity,  and  those  idiots  of  Arabs,  those 
inejit  water-drinkers,  have  called  thee  the  Father  of  the  Terrible,  the 
brutes  I     All  the  same,  Osiris  did  not  know  our  Clos-Yougeot,  poor 
man  !  "     And  Onesime's  voice,  become  more  and  more  weak,  died  on 
his  lijjs  with  that  last  word,  while  a  faint  smile,  full  of  soft  irony, 
fluttered  over    his  half-oj^ened  mouth  :  his  head  fell  gently  on  his 
shoulder,  and  he  slumbered  in  his  happiness. 

"  Thotmes  IV.,"  said  Keradec,  •'  also  fell  asleep  on  his  return 
from  hunting,  four  and  a  half  thousand  years  ago,  at  the  feet  of  the 
watchman  of  the  desert.  He  dreamt  that  Horus  ordered  him  to 
remove  the  sand  that  covered  his  image ;  struck  by  the  dream  and 
considering  that  it  was  his  duty  to  listen  to  the  warning,  be 
cleared  the  Sphinx,  and  had  the  event  inscribed  on  a  stela  that  still 
exists." 

*'  Happy  One'sime  !  "  said  Jacques ;  "  let  us  leave  him  to  his  dear 
sleep ;  we'll  ask  him  wlien  he  awakes  whether  Osiris  appeared  to  him 
in  his  slumbers." 


200  THE  LAND  OF  THE  SPHINX. 

"  Let  US  go  for  a  turn  to  tlie  granite  temj^le,  Monsieur  Jacques;  it's 
a  few  steps  away." 

"  Willingly."  And  after  having  confided  Onesime  to  the  care  of 
Malimoud,  who,  armed  with  a  fly-flipper,  protected  the  sleep  of  this 
innocent,  they  proceeded  towards  the  ruined  temjile,  situated  about 
two  hundred  paces  from  the  Sphinx. 

From  the  foot,  or  rather  from  the  uppermost  border  of  the  edifice, 
which,  buried  in  the  sand,  has  its  top  on  a  level  with  the  ground, 
the  eye  may  wander  over  the  interior,  through  the  large  open  spaces  of 
the  caved-in  roof. 

"  Here,"  said  Keradec,  "  is  what  Strabo  dares  to  call  an  edifice 
'  of  barbarian  style.'  Of  barbarian  style  !  This  structure,  unique 
in  its  powerful  and  taciturn  originality,  its  huge  blocks  of  granite 
matched  with  such  perfect  art,  the  vast  rectangular  halls  of  which, 
with  walls  lined  .with  alabaster,  are  paved  with  the  same  stone,  and 
the  ceilings  supported  by  quadrangular  pillars,  enormous  monoliths 
of  pink  granite,  admirably  polished,  fifteen  feet  high  by  three  and 
five  feet  broad,  set  up  with  the  greatest  care  ! 

"  You  can  see  that  the  walls  on  the  inside  are  absolutely  bare  ; 
neither  moulding,  nor  bas-reliefs,  nor  mural  paintings,  nor  inscrip- 
tions—nothing to  indicate  its  destination  or  the  period  of  its 
construction,  nothing  but  a  perfectly  smooth  surface.  Outside,  the 
same  rigid  simplicity  ;  blocks  of  calcareous  stone  with  plain  surfaces, 
ornamented  with  long  vertical  and  horizontal  grooves  cleverly 
crossed  ;  in  a  corner  a  small  door. 

"  In  a  deep  well  containing  water,  situated  in  one  of  the  halls 
and  now  filled  in,  Mariette  found  several  mutilated  statues,  -engraved 
with  the  name  of  Chephren,  among  which  was  one  of  diorite,  almost 
intact,  beautifully  sculptured,  which  is  now  at  the  Boulak  Museum. 

"  Under  what  circumstances  they  were  thrown  into  this  well 
nobody  knows.  Nor  has  it  transjiired  whether  the  place  is  a  temple 
or  a  tomb.  Was  it  the  mortuary  chapel  of  Chephren  ?  Was  it  the 
tomb  of  the  king  who  had  the  Sphinx  sculptured?  Was  it  the 
Temple  of  the  Sphinx  itself?  So  many  questions  here  remain 
unanswered   in   face    of   the    rigorous    silence   of  these   stones.      It 


THEOUGH    THE    MASTABAS. 


201 


keeps  its  secret  like  the  Sphinx  ;    like   it,   widens   the   horizons    of 
history    to    an   incredible    distance, 
and  tickles  the  curiosity  of  science, 
putting  the  ingenious  perspicacity  of 
the  learned  at  fault." 

"  We  find  among  this  people," 
said  Jacques,  "  a  sculptor  capable 
of  hewing  in  the  massive  rock  a 
colossus  with  such  beautiful  pro- 
portions as  the  Sjjhinx,  an  architect 
able  to  arrange  the  jjlan  of  this 
building,  and  workmen  who  could 
move  these  enormous  blocks,  set 
them  up  so  skilfully,  match  them 
with  such  consummate  art.  This 
people  must,  at  the  jieriod  when 
these  two  monuments  were  produced, 
have  arrived  at  a  high  degree  of 
civilisation,  and  it  would  have  re- 
quired thousands  of  centuries  to 
prepare  that  condition." 

While  chatting  they  had  reached 
the  tombs  of  the  First  Empire, 
dating  from  the  Fourth  Dynasty,  at 
the  end  of  the  Pharaonic  period. 

"  We  are  among  what  they  term  mastabas,  I  think.  Monsieur 
Keradec  ?  " 

"■  That  is  the  name  they  give  them.  The  mastaba,  you  see,  is 
an  aidiculum  of  a  rectangular  massive  form,  containing  one  or  several 
chambers,  arranged  from  north  to  south.  A  single  door  gave  access 
to  the  interior,  which  received  daylight  by  that  opening  only.  The 
walls  of  this  room,  or  those  where  the  relatives  of  the  departed  came 
on  certain  anniversaries  to  accomplish  funeral  rites,  were  almost 
always  decorated  with  bas-reliefs,  representing  scenes  of  every-day 
life.      At  the   end,  facing  the   east,  was   a  stela  bearing   a   prayer. 


statue  of  Chephien. 


202  THE  LAND  OF  THE  SPHINX. 

Below  the  stela  was  the  table  of  offerings  ;  it  was  granite,  alabaster, 
or  calcareous  stone  ;  sometimes  a  statue  of  the  deceased  was  placed 
there. 

"  In  the  thickness  of  the  masonry  was  a  corridor  lofty  and  narrow, 
the  serdab,  with  completely  naked  walls,  which  was  closed  up  ;  it 
contained  the  statues  of  the  dead. 

"  In  the  great  axis  of  the  edifice  was  sunk  a  square  well,  the 
orifice  of  which  opened  either  in  the  room  itself  or  on  the  summit 
of  the  mastaba.  That  well  penetrated  vertically  in  the  rock  to  a, 
depth  varying  between  thirty-six  and  eighty  feet,  ending  at  a  very 
low,  horizontal  passage,  which  led  to  a  vault  where  the  sarcophagus 
containing  the  mummy  was  placed.  The  walls  of  this  vault  were 
bare,  like  those  of  the  serdab;  nothing  is  found  there  but  great 
red  pointed  vases,  small  alabaster  calyx-shaped  cups,  bullocks'  bones, 
and  wooden  or  alabaster  head-rests.  When  once  the  mummy  was. 
deposited  and  hermetically  shut  up  in  the  sarcophagus,  the  passage 
was  walled  up  and  the  well  filled  and  closed  for  ever  ! 

"  We  shall  also  meet  with  tombs  hewn  in  the  rock,  underground  ; 
there  are  several  in  the  neighbourhood,  opposite  the  second  pyramid, 
as  well  as  near  that  of  Mycerinus." 

They  now  found  themselves  in  the  midst  of  regular  rows  of 
mastabas  of  the  Ancient  Empire  to  the  west  of  the  pyramid  of  Cheops. 
They  stopped  an  instant  at  the  edge  of  the  peculiar  tomb  of  Campbell, 
a  well,  almost  fifty  feet  deep,  containing  another  sarcophagus  in 
black  basalt.  Then  they  wandered  somewhat  at  hazard  through 
these  multitudes  of  tombs,  spread  round  about  the  pyramids. 

Jacques  examined  the  various  subjects  represented  on  the  walls 
with  curious  attention  :  here,  scenes  of  farming,  of  the  pursuit  of 
wild  fowl,  of  breeding  cattle,  of  navigation  ;  groups  of  musicians  or 
dancers ;  farther  on  were  people  leading  animals,  others  picking 
fruit  and  making  wine  ;  games  on  the  water,  athletes  wrestling  ;  one 
of  the  most  interesting  represented  an  Egyptian  bandaging  a  mummy, 
while  another  was  painting  the  mask  that  was  to  cover  the  deceased's 
face.  The  strange  contrast  offered  by  this  series  of  pictures  of 
exuberant  life,  graven  on  the  walls  of  these  aisles  of  death,  powerfully 


AT    THE    HOTEL. 


203 


attracted  Jacques'  attention,  and  Keradec  gave  him  the  best  informa- 
tion in  his  power. 

At  length,  tired  of  this  funeral  procession  amidst  the  tombs 
of  princes,  princesses,  and  high  personages,  they  rejoined  Onesime, 
who,  rested  by  his  excellent  nap,  had  relit  a  cigar,  and  was  sipping 
a  second  cup  of  coffee  which  the  attentive  Mahmoud  had  brought 
him.  The  latter  ran  to  put  the  horses  to,  and  at  the  expiration  of  an 
hour  he  set  the  trio  down  at  the  door  of  their  hotel. 


View  of  the  Citadel. 


CHAPTEK   X. 


Onesime  thanks  his  landlord. — How  the  wise  are  asses  and  the  asses  wise. — The 
Mosque  of  Hassan.— Neglect  of  the  Arabs.— The  Mosque  of  Touloun.— The 
legend  of  its  minaret. — Onesime  admires  the  Sultans  and  their  mosques  as 
much  as  he  abhors  the  Pharaohs  and  their  monuments. — His  horror  of  reli- 
gions and  their  ministers. — Oratorical  explosion. — One'sime's  polUce  verso. — 
There  !  —  Polyandry  among  the  Arabs. —  The  Citadel. ^Joseph's  Well.  — 
One'sime  will  not  visit  it. — The  Mosque  of  Mahomet  Ali.— Ondsime  sleeps 
there  on  his  feet. — Sudden  awakening. — How  Jacques  saved  his  life. — 
Sunset. 

ON£SIME,in  the  ardour  of  good  digestion,  hastened  to  go  in  search 
of  his  sympathetic  landlord  ;  he  thanked  him  profusely,  and 
persuaded  him  with  some  difficulty  to  accept  his  portrait  painted  by 
Jacques,  in  remembrance  of  his  amiable  services  to  the  party  ;  then  he 
rejoined  the  Doctor  and  Jacques,  who  were  awaiting  him. 

''  Well ! "  he  exclaimed,  on  making  his  appearance,  "  our  dear 
amphitryon  accepts." 

"Accepts  what  ? "  asked  Jacques. 

"  His  portrait,  which  you  will  paint  for  him,  of  course  !  " 

"  That's  very  kind  of  him." 

"  I  had  some  trouble  in  persuading  him,  and  in  overcoming  his 
scruples,  but  at  last  I  succeeded.  The  charming  man,  he  does  not 
know  what  it  is  to  refuse  anything  ! " 

204 


ONESIME    THANKS    HIS    LANDLOED.  205 

"  That's  a  pity,"  murmured  Jacques. 

"•  Yon  know,"  continued  Onesime,  who  had  not  heard  the  interrup- 
tion, "  YOU  must  do  his  hands  in  the  portrait." 

"  They  shall  be  done." 

"  You  understand,  it  would  be.  stingy  to  do  the  head  only." 

"Oh  1     Absolutely  stingy." 

"  Would  it  not  ?  Especially  as  he  was  not  sparing.  What 
truffles  !     What  wine  !     Be  liberal,  my  friend,  liberal !  " 

"  We'll  be  liberal ;  the  hands  shall  be  there,  even  the  feet,  if  you 
wish  it." 

"  I  hardly  dared  suggest  that." 

"  I  admire  your  reserve." 

"  But  as  you  desire  it " 

"  It  would  be  wrong  on  my  part  to  raise  any  objection,"  answered 
Jacques,  laughing  and  concluding  Onesime's  phrase.  "  That  is  the 
reply  you  wanted  to  make." 

"  You  guessed  my  thoughts." 

"  I  know  you  so  well." 

"  A  portrait  from  head  to  foot !  I  hope  it  will  not  be  said  that 
I  eke  out  my  gratitude." 

"  Xor  that  it  costs  you  dear  ! "  observed  Jacques. 

"  Ah !  you  see  I  am  not  a  Croesus.  I  am  sometimes  obliged  to 
reckon." 

"  Not  with  me  though  !  " 

"  I  never  reckon  with  my  friends,"  remarked  Onesime,  with  dignity. 

"  Such  a  sentiment  does  you  honour." 

"  And  I  thank  you  for  appreciating  it  as  it  deserves." 

"  You  are  coming  with  us  ?     We  are  going  to  see  the  Citadel." 

"  Is  the  Citadel  very  far  away  ?  " 

"  Half  an  hour's  trot,  on  a  donkey,  at  the  most." 

"  That's  reasonable." 

"  Here  is  the  very  thing,"  added  Ke'radec,  who  had  just  leant  out 
of  the  window.  "  Our  recent  acquaintances,  Ahmed,  Hassan,  Abdallah, 
and  their  'learned  ones,'  must  have  been  on  the  look-out  for  our 
return,  for  I  see  thev  are  before  the  door  waiting  for  us  to  go  out." 


206  THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 

"  Their  '  learned  ones  '  ?  "  inquired  Onesime. 

"  Their  donkeys,  if  you  jn-eter  it ;  it  was  thus  that  Bonaparte's 
soldiers  designated  the  prancing  Cairo  donkeys  at  the  commencement 
of  the  Egyptian  campaign.  Later  on,  they  rendered  to  Caesar  what 
belonged  to  Cc\3sar,  and  the  parties  took  their  respective  names  again." 

"  And  what  was  the  origin  of  this  distinction  accorded  to  Master 
Aliboron,  or  of  this  uncomplimentary  denomination  of  your  condisciples 
Monsieur  Keradec  ?  " 

"  As  follows  :  when  the  French  army  marched  on  Cairo,  after 
the  capture  of  Alexandria,  the  soldiers  suffered  cruelly  from  hunger 
and  thirst ;  on  the  way  they  found  nothing  but  abandoned  villages  ; 
the  wells  had  been  filled  up,  and  a  most  oppressive  heat  struck  down 
the  bravest.  Discouragement  was  general.  They  regretted  France, 
and  cursed  the  presumed  authors  of  that  unfortunate  expedition,  who 
had  sent  them  into  this  frightful  country,  where  they  could  neither, 
they  said,  '  make  their  soup,  nor  get  a  drop  of  brandy.'  Eecriminations 
and  invectives  had  full  play.  Since,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  gaiety  and 
joking  are  the  base  of  the  French  character,  and  never  lose  their  rights 
even  under  the  most  critical  circumstances,  sallies  and  jests  abounded. 
The  Commander-in-Chief,  according  to  them,  was  a  good  fellow;  he  had 
allowed  the  Directory,  who  had  a  spite  against  him,  to  make  a  fool  of 
him  by  transporting  him  into  this  country,  which  was  not  fit  for  a  dog. 
And  as  they  halted  everywhere,  if  any  vestige  of  antiquity  was  to 
be  found,  to  excavate  and  make  researches,  they  saddled  the  Egyptian 
Commission  with  the  original  idea  of  the  expedition,  and  avenged 
themselves  by  calling  the  savants  who  composed  it  '  asses,'  and  the 
asses  'savants.'  They  accused  old  General  Caffarelli,  a  man  as 
courageous  as  he  was  learned,  of  having  cajoled  Bonaparte,  and  of 
having  brought  him  into  this  hornets'  nest.  '  He  doesn't  care  a  bit 
which  way  it  goes,'  they  said.  '  He  has  one  foot  in  France  ' ;  alluding 
to  the  leg  he  lost  on  the  Rhine." 

They  were  at  the  door  when  the  Doctor  had  concluded  his  explana- 
tion, and  sprang  on  their  animals. 

"  None  of  your  '  Ahs  ! '  rascal,"  said  Ondsime  to  his  donkey  boy. 
^' '  Monsieur  de  Lesseps '  does  not  require  that  to  go  along  straight, 


A  Fortune-teller. 


THE    MOSQUE    OF    HASSAN.  209 

and   it  worries  me.     That's  true,  it  makes  me  nervous,"  he  added 
turning  to  Jacc^ues  and  Ke'radec,  who  were  getting  ready  to  start. 

"  And  makes  you  lose  the  stirrups— and  the  rest  I  " 

Hassan  swore  by  the  beard  of  the  Prophet  that  he  would  not  open 
his  mouth,  and  would  only  use  his  switch. 

"  Your  switch  !  Still  less,  you  ugly  brute  ;  leave  us  alone,  my 
ass  and  me.  Limit  yourself  to  following  us,  and  do  that,  even,  at  a 
certain  distance."  Then,  settling  himself  in  his  saddle,  he  seized  the 
reins. 

The  cavalcade  sets  oat.  Passing  along  the  EsLekieh  at  a  gentle 
trot,  they  reach  the  Place  Atal-el-Kadra,  and  take  the  Boulevard 
Mahomet  Ali,  which  ends  at  the  Place  Sultan  Hassan.  There  they 
xilight  and  approach  a  group  of  idlers. 

At  the  corner  of  a  doorway  squatted  an  old  negro.  On  the  ground 
were  a  leather  bag,  a  scrawl,  and  a  copper  inkstand  ;  he  was  a  wizard. 
Upon  the  fine  sand  which  he  had  taken  from  the  bag  and  spread  out 
before  him,  a  peasant  woman  had  placed  her  flat  hand  ;  she  withdrew 
it ;  the  soothsayer  examined  the  imprint  with  apparent  attention,  and 
scribbled  some  letters  in  Arabic  on  a  scrap  of  pajjer,  which  he  presented 
to  the  woman.  The  latter  gave  him  a  piastre,  took  the  square  of 
paper,  carefully  secured  it,  and  withdrew. 

They  lend  a  deaf  ear  to  the  solicitations  of  this  black  Cagliostro, 
and,  proceeding  towards  the  Mosque,  ascend  a  staircase  of  a  few  steps, 
and  pass  beneath  the  gigantic,  vaulted,  ogival  gateway  with  corbels  and 
stalactites.  It  is  surmounted  by  a  frieze  bearing  an  inscription  in  mag- 
nificent Cufic  characters,  and  a  jjowerful  cornice  dominates  the  whole. 
Then  crossing  a  vestibule,  and  a  dark  corridor  furnished  with  stone 
benches,  they  reach  a  long  room,  where  the  attendants  provide  them 
with  straw  sandals.  When  this  is  done  they  enter  the  courtyard, 
paved  with  marble  of  all  sorts  of  colours,  and  open  to  the  elements. 

At  the  sides  are  four  gigantic  bays,  following  the  bold  curves  of 
two  enormous  arches,  which  unite  at  an  imposing  height  to  support  an 
embattled  wall.  The  largest  is  the  entrance  to  the  sanctuary.  At 
the  end  is  the  mihrab  of  difi'erent  sorts  of  marble,  ornamented  with 
graceful  columns  ;  close  at  hand  is  the  mimbar,  and  in  the  centre  of 

14 


210 


THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 


the  hall  the  pulpit  for  the  readers,  the  mastaba,  of  a  rather  elegant 
aspect  with  its  columns  and  pilasters.     From  the  ceiling  hangs  an 

admirably  chiselled 
chandelier  of  bronze, 
as  well  as  lamps  and 
ostrich  eggs  orna- 
mented with  ,  tufts 
of  silk.  Vases  of 
coloured  glass,  each 
of  which  is  secured 
by  a  light  treble 
chain  to  a  long  iron 
bar  reposing  on  iron 
brackets  fixed  in  the 
masonry,  form  a 
double  line  parallel 
to  the  lateral  walls, 
along  the  top  of 
which  runs  a  frieze, 
a  perfect  arabesque 
of  lacework,  where 
verses  of  the  Koran 
are  inscribed  in 
Cufic  letters. 

You  enter  the 
room  containing 
Hassan's  tomb  by  a 
door  on  the  right  of 
the  mimbar.  It  is  a 
vast  square  apart- 
ment covered  by  an 
enormous  cupola, 
joined  on  the  inside  to  the  angles  of  the  walls  supporting  it  by  a 
corbel  of  stalactites  ;  sentences  from  the  Koran  are  written  on  a  frieze 
decorating  the  walls  above  the  marble  which  covers  the  lower  part. 


Entrance  to  the  Jlo&qne  of  Hassan. 


NEGLECT    OF    THE    AEAP.S. 


211 


The  flags  on  which  they  walk  are  broken ;  the  slabs  of  marble 
lining  the  sides  are  falling  off;  the  mosaics  are  shifting  from  their 
setting;  the  worm-eaten  stalactites  escape  one  by  one  from  their 
decayed  sockets  ;  bits  of  wood  which  accumulations  of  dust  have  long 
since  covered  with  a  uniform  grey  tint,  effacing  all  trace  of  painting, 
tumble  down  from  old  age  or  hang  threatening  above  the  heads  of  the 
faithful  ;  birds  build  their  nests  there  ;  spiders  sj)in  their  ,„  ^ 
webs;  bats  lodge  in  the  crevices;  and  streams  ^-..tMi'ViiM  .' 

of  light,  coming  through  the  dilapidated  dome, 
strike  the  wall  witli  their  bright 
rays,   ruthlessly  illuminating   the 
shameful  wreck. 

The   fountain  for  ablutions  in 
the  middle  of  the  court  is  in  the 
same  dreadful  state.    Its  vast  blue 
sphere-shaped  cupola,  surmounted 
by  a  crescent,  is  cracked 
in  places ;  one  still  per- 
ceives  the  traces    of  a 
large     zone,      formerly 
covered      with     Arabic 
writing     in     gold ;     it 
stands  on  an  octagonal 
wall  supported  by  slender  columns 
at  the  angles.     Arabs  perform  their 
ablutions  here. 

"  What  an  admirable  monument,  Monsieur  Keradec  ! "  said  Jacques, 
as  soon  as  they  were  outside,  casting  a  last  look  of  admiration  on  the 
tall  and  severe  facade  of  the  edifice  ;  "  it  is  a  perfect  marvel  of  bold- 
ness and  elegance." 

"  It  dates  from  the  fine  Arab  period." 

"Is  it  not  related  that  Sultan  Hassan  had  the  hands  of  his 
architect  cut  off,  so  as  to  prevent  him  erecting  another  monument  of 
such  beauty  anywhere  else  ?  " 

"  Yes,  that  and  a  great  many  other  things  ;  but  I  am  much  afraid 


J'-y^ 


Foiintiiin  for  ablutions. 


212 


THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 


that  yon  accuse  this  poor  Sultan  Hassan  wrongfully,  for  that  story 
about  the  architect  is  far  from  having  been  proved.  What  is  blam- 
able  is  the  unpardonable  neglect  of  the  Arabs,  who  allow  such  works 
to  fall  to  ruin." 

"  Is  this  neglect  general,  or  is  this  merely  a  particular  instance 

of  it?" 

"  A  particular  instance  !  It  is  the  same  throughout  Egypt  :  men 
and  things,  from  the  sea  to  the  cataracts,  from  the  Arabian  to  the 
Libyan  desert,  suffer  from  this  culpable  neglect,  from  this  fatal  want  of 


Mosqne  of  Toulon  n. 


consideration,  which,  with  the  vandalism  of  tourists  and  the  cupidity 
of  the  inhabitants,  ruins  the  country,  and  causes  even  the  last  vestiges 
of  its  past  glory  to  be  mutilated  or  to  disappear.  But  before  visiting 
the  Citadel  we  shall  have  time  to  go  as  far  as  the  Mosque  of  Touloun ; 
it  is  five  minutes  from  here  ;  you  will  then  see  that  I  do  not  ex- 
aggerate the  frightfully  abandoned  state  in  which  these  monuments 
are  left." 

Taking  to  their  donkeys  again,  they  set  out  for  the  Mosque 
standing  between  the  canal  and  the  Citadel. 

They  are  hardly  Inside,  when  a  swarm  of  half-naked  poor  and  crippled 


TnE  MOSQUE  OF  TOULOUN.  213 

people,  to  whom  the  sanctuary  of  the  Mosque  serves  as  a  place  of 
refuge,  surround  them  and  pester  them  with  demands  for  baksheesh. 
They  are  horrible  to  look  at,  and  are  with  difficulty  got  rid  of. 

In  the  middle  of  the  courtyard  rises  the  ablution  fountain,  with 
the  dome  tumbling  to  pieces.  On  three  sides  of  the  court  the  naves, 
with  double  rows  of  columns,  surmounted  with  ogival  arches,  which 
have  been  filled  in,  serve  as  a  dwelling-house.  On  the  fourth  side  the 
porch  numbers  five  rows  of  columns.  This  part  of  the  edifice  forms 
the  sanctuary,  or  the  mosque  proper. 

Of  the  four  minarets  that  flanked  the  four  angles  one  only  is 
standing,  and  is  much  decayed.  Square  at  the  base,  then  cylindrical, 
and  finally  octagonal,  it  is  compassed  by  an  exterior  staircase  half  in 
ruins,  the  upper  part  leading  to  the  summit  of  the  minaret  being 
impracticable.  The  sanctuary  only  is  in  a  fairly  good  state  of  repair, 
with  its  ogival  arcades  hollowed  out  between  the  arches  ;  but  the 
stucco  coating  the  bricks  is  crumbling  away,  the  Cufic  inscriptions  on 
the  friezes  are  falling  in  lumps  ;  the  antique  mosaics  of  the  slender 
marble  columns  of  the  mi/irab  are  wasting  away;  the  incrustations  in 
ivory  of  the  old  walnut  mimbar  are  leaving  the  worm-eaten  wood  ;  the 
ceilings,  in  carved  palm  wood,  are  cracking  and  rotting.  There  will 
soon  remain  nothing  of  the  beautiful  light  ogees,  of  the  original 
columns,  of  the  elegant  arabesques,  and  of  the  thousand  delicate 
ornaments  of  this  mos([ue,  founded  a  century  before  Cairo— of  the 
Gam'a  of  Ahmed  Ibu  El-Touloun,  the  chief  of  the  Toulounides 
dynasty. 

"  You  probably  know  the  legend  connected  with  the  building  of  the 
only  minaret  of  this  mosque  that  remains  standing  ?  "  Keradec  asked 
Jacques. 

"  I  don't  know  the  first  word  of  it." 

"  I  will  tell  it  you.  Ahmed,  who  was  of  a  serious  disposition,  was 
one  day  holding  a  council,  surrounded  by  the  grand  personages  of  his 
Court  and  the  leaders  of  his  army.  Seated  at  a  table,  he  was  plapng 
thoughtlessly  with  a  sheet  of  i)aper  spread  out  before  him.  His 
fingers  folded  and  refolded  it  with  apparent  yet  unconscious  attention, 
absorbed  as  he  was  in  a  fit  of  musing  wliich,  little  by  little,  had  seized 


214  THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 

on  his  whole  being.  When  he  recovered  from  it,  and  suddenly  re- 
turned to  reality,  he  noticed  astonishment  displayed  on  all  faces,  and 
could  not  help  reddening  at  his  jiassing  distraction.  As  he  was  not 
wanting  in  presence  of  mind,  he  wished  to  efface  the  impression  he 
had  produced  by  transforming  the  childish  act  to  which  he  had  uncon- 
sciously given  way  into  one  of  profound  thought.  He  examined  the 
paper  once  more,  again  modified  the  form  he  had  accidentally  given  it, 
and  sent  for  the  architect.  '  That,'  he  said,  handing  him  the  sheet  of 
paper,  '  is  the  form  you  will  give  to  the  minaret  of  my  mosque.'  " 

"  He  was  a  man  of  resources,  this  Monsieur  Ahmed,"  said  Onesime. 

"  He  had,  moreover,  astounding  luck.  Thus,  historians  of  the  day 
relate  that  the  entire  Koran  was  engraved  on  the  friezes  of  s^'camore 
wood  which  ornamented  the  sides  of  the  mosque  ;  and  it  appears  that 
this  wood  was  none  other  than  that  which  came  from  the  planks  of 
Noah's  Ark,  the  remains  of  which  Ahmed  had  found  on  Mount 
Ararat." 

"  Let  the  friezes  look  out,  then  I  If  ever  Cook  and  Son's  six 
tourists  hear  of  their  Biblical  origin,  not  one  will  escape  them.  Just 
fancy,  a  piece  of  Xoah's  Ark  !  They  will  split  them  into  pieces  and 
fill  their  leather  bags  with  them,  at  the  risk  of  causing  the  remainder 
of  the  building  to  tumble  down  on  their  heads.  But,  between  our- 
selves, it  was  a  wretched  find,  and  since  the  Deluge  must  have  been 
pretty  well  worm-eaten  I  " 

"  This  was  only  a  commencement,  Monsieur  Onesime.  He  found 
better  than  that.  Thus,  one  day,  when  he  was  crossing  the  desert, 
the  horse  of  a  slave  thrust  its  hoof  into  a  hole  which  suddenly 
opened  beneath  its  tread,  stumbled  and  fell,  while  the  rider  was 
thrown  out  of  his  saddle.  Ahmed  alighted,  examined  the  broken 
ground,  and  saw  that  the  accident  had  been  caused  by  the  fortuitous 
falling  in  of  the  arched  roof  of  a  cellar.  He  had  the  rubbish  cleared 
away,  searched  the  interior,  and  found  a  treasure  there  of  the  estimated 
value  of  a  million  dinars^'' 

"  Which  would  represent  at  the  present  time ?," 

"  About  a  million  and  a  half  francs." 

"  By  Jove  I     You  don't  find  that  every  day  under  a  horse's  hoof" 


THE  MOSQUE  OF  TOULOUN.  215 

"  It  was  very  common  with  bim,  for  he  is  credited  with  the  dis- 
covery of  several  other  large  treasures  ;  and  it  is  only  due  to  him  to 
say  that  he  turned  them  to  the  best  account,  devoting  them  to  build 
his  mosque,  which  was  comi)leted  in  two  years,  impro\iug  tlie  standard 
of  the  coinage,  and  assisting  the  poor.  With  this  view  he  placed  a 
pharmacy  near  his  mosque,  where,  once  a  week,  by  his  order  and  at 
his  expense,  medical  men  attended  to  the  sick  and  assisted  the 
indigent." 

"  Those  Sultans  were,  anyhow,  men  of  heart  and  good  taste,"  said 
Onesime,  "  and  that  did  no  harm.  They  erected  temples  full  of  pretty 
columns,  with  beautiful  little  ogees  delightfully  executed  ;  set  up  nice 
minarets  in  daring  positions,  with  ornamental  balconies  of  open  work, 
like  Malines  lace  ;  they  hollowed  out  in  the  courts  of  their  mosques 
coquettish  springs,  covered  them  with  light  domes  and  numbers  of 
pretty  tiny  columns,  without  mentioning  tliose  lovely  niches  for 
prayers  ;  those  adorable  mihrabs,  all  in  marble  and  alabaster  ;  those 
deliciously  carved  mimhars^  with  delicate  incrustations  of  ivory  ;  those 
beautiful  mastabas  ;  those  marvellously  chiselled  lamps  ;  those 
ribbons  of  capricious  arabesques  tracing  i)rayers  on  the  walls.  They 
had  taste,  and,  moreover,  exquisite  taste  !  Charming  and  original 
fancy  !  And  then  it  was  put  together  in  two  or  three  years  without  an 
effort.  A  few  bricks,  a  little  plaster,  some  beams,  sundry  columns 
rifled  here  and  there  from  some  old  Greek  church  out  of  fashion, 
marble  casing  carried  off  from  some  ancient  Egyptian  temple,  were 
the  materials.  Pleasant  labour,  just  sufficient  to  give  the  workmen  an 
appetite  and  extend  their  muscles— a  species  of  hygienic  g}-mnastics  ; 
that  was  all  the  trouble.  A  delicious  jewel  of  a  building  and  a  happy 
people,  who  come  and  pass  the  siesta  there,  thinking  of  Mahomet,  with 
their  noses  turned  towards  the  Orient— that  is  the  result  obtained  ! 
And  no  expense,  because  the  treasures  they  found  amply  covered  the 
architect's  account ;  at. least,  it  was  so  in  Ahmed's  case.  Add  to  this 
a  gratuitous  hospital  for  labourers  in  case  of  accidents,  an  office  for 
relief,  and  a  dispensary  for  the  poor.  But  it  was  high  philanthropy, 
pure  ethics  in  action  !  These  Sultans  were  simply  precursors  of 
3Iontvon  ;  wliereas  tliose  grand  concnlcators,  the  Pharaohs,  with  their 


216  THE  LAND  OF  THE  SPHINX. 

great  stupid  heaps  of  rubbish,  their  massive  pyramids,  their  heavy 

tombs,  and  their  placid  disdain  for  the  lives  of  others,  their Son 

of  a  gun  !  My  blood  boils  at  the  mere  thought  of  those  brutes  and 
their  boobies  of  subjects,  whose  clumsy  productions  absorb  all  your 
admiration." 

"  If  you  hurt  my  Pharaohs,"  exclaimed  Jacques,  "  look  out  for 
your  Sultans  !  " 

"  Rest  assured,  Monsieur  Coquillard,  that  we  admire  the  mosques 
as  we  admired  the  jiyramids." 

"  You  might  just  as  well  admire  a  powerful  draught-horse,  harnessed 
to  an  omnibus,  as  equal  to  a  thoroughbred." 

"  Certainly,  Monsieur  Coquillard ;  one  is  worth  the  other  on  the 
same  terms — they  are  two  clifFerent  kinds  of  beauty." 

"  Just,"  continued  Jacques,  "  as  a  lovely  brunette  is  equal  to  a  pretty 
blonde,  a  glass  of  amber  ale  to  one  of  XXX  stout,  and  an  intelligent 
French  poodle  to  a  good-natured  Newfoundland.  Only  I  prefer  the 
blonde,  I  drink  stout,  am  glad  to  fondle  the  head  of  old  Gyp,  my 
Newfoundland,  and  like  the  grand  powerful  manner  of  the  Pharaohs 
better  than  the  refined  and  charming  fancy  of  the  Sultans.  I  admire 
the  robust  work  of  the  ancient  Egyptians,  grand,  simple,  imposing, 
engraved  with  the  cartouch  of  Cheops,  Eameses,  Sesostris,  or  others ; 
and  whether  this  brilliant,  elegant,  and  fragile  eifort  of  Arab  art  be 
signed  Touloun,  Hassan,  or  Khalaoun,  I  consider  it  merely  i3retty. 
The  long  ribbon  of  paintings  taken  from  life,  covering  the  walls  of  the 
tombs  of  the  sons  of  Horus,  setting  forth  so  naively,  so  faithfully,  their 
mode  of  life,  pleases  me  more  than  the  twisted,  flowery,  and  fatiguing 
caligraphy  of  the  letters  of  the  Koran,  scattered  over  the  friezes  of  the 
mosques.  In  a  word,  I  prefer  Osiris  to  Mahomet ;  and  if  you  cannot 
feel  all  that  is  admirable,  sublime,  grand  in  the  colossal  work  of 
the  Pharaohs,  well !  my  dear  friend,  it  is  because  you  have  not  the 
sentiment  of  the  beautiful,  and  there  is  an  empty  cavity  in  your 
brain." 

"  An  empty  cavity  in  my  brain  !  "  repeated  Onesime,  laying  stress 
on  each  word  ;  "  that  is  too  much  !  " 

This  was  the  last  drop  of  water  that  made  the   cup  run   over 


OEATOEICAL    EXPLOSION.  217 

Ondsime,  the  gentle  Onesime,  revolted  against  this  persistent  Pharaonic 
infatuation,  as  he  had  revolted  against  the  outrageous  praises  bestowed 
on  Cleopatra,  as  he  had  condemned  the  ridiculous  eulogy  addressed  to 
the  pyramids.  Onesime  had,  above  all,  a  just  mind,  a  straightforward 
character,  an  honest  heart ;  he  did  not  dally  with  his  conscience,  and 
they  had  braved  that  conscience  to  his  nose  and  to  his  beard  I  He  was- 
always  impatient  of  ill-placed,  unhealthy  admiration  of  matters  which 
he  termed,  with  sui)erb  and  deserved  contempt,  picturesque  fancies  and 
ridiculous  crazes,  unworthy,  he  added,  of  troubling  for  a  single  instant 
the  trim  of  well-balanced  minds.  And  he  was  well-balanced,  he  was  ;. 
he  did  not  vibrate  in  space  like  that  hare-brained  Burgundian  and  that 
old  Armorican  Druid,  not  he,  Onesime  Co(|uillard,  of  Paris,  unique  and 
without  a  consort,  like  the  phoenix,  almost,  less  the  plumage  and 
immortality.  He  wished,  he,  the  rational  being,  the  practical  man, 
the  convinced  partisan  of  the  utile  didci,  to  whip  with  the  rod  of 
common  sense,  to  scourge  with  the  thongs  of  satire,  those  frightful 
exaggerators,  those  admirers  beyond  reason ;  he  would,  he,  Onesime 
Coquillard,  he  would  castigare  ridendo  inores  ! 

Erect  on  his  short,  fat  legs,  he  threw  back  his  shoulders,  also  his 
head  ;  that  was  his  famous  posture,  that  memorable  attitude  of  grand 
occasions,  characteristic  and  inexj)ressible,  which  was  assumed  at  the 
outburst  of  his  improvisation.  It  was  the  preface  to  his  anger  !  His 
right  hand,  round  and  plump — the  other  was  always  in  his  trousers' 
pocket  when  he  was  merely  ironical — described  a  graceful,  regular  curve^ 
in  no  way  abrupt,  the  arm  was  extended  horizontally,  the  fingers  were 
stiff,  the  palm  of  the  hand  turned  towards  the  heavens,  the  thumb 
raised.  The  position  of  the  thumb  was  of  great  importance  in  his 
oratorical  gestures ;  raised  thus  it  expressed  bitter  irony  !  The  thumb 
down — but  one  must  not  anticipate.  By  a  simple  efi'ort  of  his  will, 
the  mocking  mask  of  refined,  sharp,  biting  irony  all  at  once  took  the 
place  of  the  placid  and  good-natured  aspect  of  his  usual  face  ;  and  his 
thick-lipped  mouth,  of  a  sinuous  and  well-formed  outline,  sarcastically 
opened  amidst  the  black  bristles  of  his  beard. 

"  Look  here  !  "—and  his  voice,  sharp  as  a  razor,  betrayed  by  its^ 
bitter,  wild   energy  how  vigorous  were  the  bellows  of  his  lungs— 


^18  THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 

'•  your  EoTptians.  those  stone-hewers,  were  nothing  more  than  living- 
dead  people,  lunatics  wlio  began  to  scrajie  the  rock  and  dig  their  own 
graves  when  they  had  barely  come  into  the  world  ;  they  were  the 
Trappists  of  antiquity,  didl  sad  fellows,  passing  their  lives  in  worrying 
themselves  to  death  ;  hypnotised  by  the  dread  of  being  badly  buried, 
regretting  the  nothingness  from  which  they  came,  and  hastening  to 
return  there " 

*  if:  *  ti  *  * 

And  he  continued  for  a  long  time  thus,  always  ironical,  without 
fatigue,  without  anger,  calm,  severe  ;  then  resumed, — 

"  They  were  a  nation  of  moles  ! " 

"  "Worshippers  of  moles,  Monsieur  Coquillard,"  rectified  Keradec. 

"  That  was  worse  still  ! "  answered  Onesime,  who  was  not  to  be 
easily  unseated  ;  "  in  worshipping  moles,  they  worshipped  themselves, 
so  strong  was  the  love  of  the  beast  in  them." 

"  They  gave  the  mole  divine  honours,"  said  Keradec,  "  because, 
considering  it  blind,  it  personified,  in  their  idea,  darkness,  which  they 
thought  older  than  light." 

"  They  were  more  blind  than  it  was,  that  nation  of  moles,  who,  for 
thousands  of  years,  discovered  no  better  way  of  passing  their  leisure 
than  in  riddling  their  calcareous  mountains  with  hypogei  and  in 
making  a  lot  of  heaps  with  even  sides,  in  the  midst  of  their  plains, 
with  the  rubbish " 

And  he  continued,  led  away  by  the  vertiginous  vortex  of  his  superb 
■cerebration,  until  at  length,  intoxicated  by  his  eloquence,  which  got 
into  his  head  like  strong  wine,  maddened  by  the  constant  rattle  of  his 
own  words,  the  tumultuous  multitude  of  which  whirled  round  in  his 
ears  in  a  formidable  racket,  stunned  by  the  clatter  of  his  phrases,  at 
the  moment  when  he  was  about  to  suddenly  soar  to  an  infinite  height, 
he  felt  himself,  all  at  once,  bitten  by  the  demon  of  anti-religious 
hatred.  He  drew  his  left  hand  from  his  pocket  with  a  jerk,  rested  it 
proudly  on  his  hip,  and  turned  his  right  hand  over  with  the  thumb 
down — pollice  verso  !  That  terrible  pollice  verso  indicated  with  him 
that  bitter  irony  would  give  way  to  cutting,  implacable  satire,  branding 


ONESIME  S    POLLICE    VERSO. 


219 


Pollire  rer^o. 


like  a  red-hot  iron  ;  be  was  trausfi.c^iired ;  his  features  were  contracted, 
his  eyes  flashed,  and  amidst  the  thunder  of  his  phrases,  the  clang  of 
his  words,  the  sonorous  roll  of  his  deafening 
sentences,  he  fulminated  an  impetuous  pero- 
ration, terminating  with  this  crushing  apos- 
trophe, in  which  he  pulverised  priests  and 
religions,  which,  with  the  cataclysm,  were  his 
peculiar  bugbears. 

"  And  it  is  this  old  Egypt,  living  stupidly 
with  one  foot  in  the  tomb,  stinking  of  death, 
that  in  one  of  its  granite  coffins  one  day 
whelped,  in  a  superb  litter,  those  radiant 
virtues  of  humanity,  wisdom,  art,  science  ? 
Never.  This  African  troglodyte,  in  her  long 
association  with  the  sombre  spirit  of  Death, 
felt  in  the  end  a  monstrous  desire  for  the 
hideous  lover,  and  in  the  terror  of  darkness  conceived,  in  a  horrible 
union,  the  Hierophant — a  monster  I  who  killed  her  at  his  birth  and 
vomited  on  the  world  the  bitterness  of  religions,  those  antagonistic 
sisters  devouring  each  other,  wliom  like  a  second  Tyjihon  he  had  be- 
gotten with  Night,  his  mother  I  " 

And  Onesime  paused,  inhaled  a  breath  of  air,  and  then,  examining 
from  head  to  foot  Jacques  and  Keradec,  who  were  looking  at  him  with 
a  sort  of  indulgent  commiseration,  he  concluded  with  these  words, 
uttered  in  a  calm,  brief,  well-modulated  voice, — 

"  I  have  said,  gentlemen.     There  I  " 

That  "  there  "  was  pronounced  in  a  clear,  firm,  imperious  tone  ;  it 
was  superb,  that  "  there  " ;  it  smelt  of  gunpowder,  shone  like  steel, 
rang  like  bronze  ;  it  fell  like  a  blow  from  a  mace,  bang  !  with  the 
grave  and  prolonged  so  and  of  a  gigantic  gong.  No  other  than 
Ondsime  could  have  accentuated  it  with  that  decision,  that  air  of 
conviction,  at  once  resolute  and  audacious,  which  made  an  impression 
in  spite  of  all  ;  he  said  so  much  in  those  five  letters,  that  word  of  one 
syllable  !  It  was  one  of  those  words  that  remain,  one  of  those  spark- 
ling words  that  illuminate  with  their  flashes  of  fire  an  epoch  of  history, 


220  THE  LAND  OF  THE  SPHINX. 

and  mark  it  witli  au  indelible  stamp,  like  the  2fe?ie,  Tekel,  Peres  of 
Belshazzar,  the  Veni,  vidi,  vici  of  Cccsar ;  and  many  otheTS —ve?'ba 
non  facta.  But  his  was  more  laconic  ;  it  was  not  three  words,  it 
was  not  two,  it  was  one  word,  a  single  one  !  But  such  a  word  !  Short, 
thickset,  sturdy  and  stubborn,  black  and  hairy  like  himself,  terrifying 
in  its  stupefying  conciseness. 

"  There  ! "  And  he  had  said  it  simj^ly,  without  fuss,  in  au  easy- 
going manner,  as  Louis  XIY.  must  have  said,  "  The  State  is  me  !  " 
As  NajDoleon  III.,  between  two  cigarettes,  had  said,  "  The  Empire  is 
Peace  !  "  As  Tartariu  of  Tarascon  had  said,  "  Sword  thrusts,  Gentle- 
men, sword  thrusts,  but  uo  pin  thrusts  !  "  It  was  one  of  those  words 
kindred — but  a  better  brought  up  relative — to  that  of  Cambroune, 
who  also,  on  a  momentous  occasion,  thus  in  five  letters  summed  up,  in 
a  manner  at  once  brutal  and  sublime,  the  unbearable  annoyance  that 
gained  possession  of  him  in  presence  of  the  crushing  calamity  of 
Waterloo — that  immense  disaster  in  which  the  fortunes  of  Napoleon 
were  wrecked  ! 

Then  Onesime,  in  a  noble,  serene,  Olymjiian  posture,  in  a  posture 
cast  in  bronze,  Jupiter  and  Napoleon  mixed  together,  crossed  his 
arms.  With  him — for  with  One'sime  the  slightest  gesture  signified 
something,  as  in  the  old  aerial  telegraph — with  him  the  arms  crossed 
were  his  anger  sheathed,  his  justice  reposing ;  it  was  the  apotheosis  of 
his  victory,  as  Kneph  was  the  personification  of  the  goodness  of  Phtah, 
Neith  that  of  his  wisdom.  It  was  also  his  revenge  for  the  cataclysm. 
One  saw  in  him  the  pride  of  accomplished  duty,  of  vengeance  satisfied, 
and  he  enjoyed  as  a  man  that  pleasure  of  the  gods.  While  Keradec 
smiled  with  wonder,  mingled  with  a  dash  of  irony,  and  Jacques  con- 
templated him  with  cheerful  calmness,  he  continued  in  a  brisk  and 
rather  sharp  tone,  which  showed  a  little  spiteful  malice,  notwithstand- 
ing his  compressed  dignity, — 

"  Well !  And  then  ?  Even  if  you  do  look  at  me  like  that  with  an 
air  of  pinch-him-without-laughing  !  Well  !  Yes,  it  was  I,  there  !  It 
was  I  who  said  that.  I,  Onesime  Coquillard,  of  Paris,  2^?,  Rue  du 
Faubourg  Montmartre,  on  the  entresol,  the  first  door  on  the  left  at  the 
end  of  the  corridor.     Are  vou  satisfied  ?  " 


POLYANDKY  AMONG  THE  ARABS.  221 

"  And  you  called  me  deicide  I  " 

"  Certainly,  for  you  are  so,  in  intention." 

"  It's  an  accusation  of  tendency  that  you  are  bringing  against  me 
there." 

"  If  you  like.  You  deny  God,  because  of  your  incapacity  to  under- 
stand him  ;  his  existence  inconveniences  you  ;  that  Deus  ignotus 
irritates  you — you  are  vexed  because  he  will  not  be  interviewed  by  you." 

"  Not  at  all  !  But  I  do  not  care  about  making  the  acquaintance  of 
persons  against  their  will,  especially  of  the  unknown  ;  we  don't  meet, 
that's  all :  " 

"  You  would  perhaps  like  him  to  make  advances  to  you  ?  " 

"Politeness  indicates  that  he  should  take  the  first  step;  his  high 
position  permits  of  his  doing  so,  commands  him  to  do  it  even." 

"  I  see  there  is  a  coldness  between  yon." 

"  But  I  say  your  intercourse  with  him  does  not  seem  to  me  to  be 
so  very  cordial,  and  the  position  between  you  aj^pears  to  me  sufficiently 
strained,  if  I  judge  by  the  way  in  which  you  arraign  his  ministers." 

"  His  ministers  !  Those  hybrid  creatures  who  disguise  him  with 
every  device,  who  have  the  audacity  to  represent  him  in  their  image 
and  to  make  a  terrible  and  ridiculous  idol  of  him,  and,  what  is  worse,  a 
stupid  and  cruel  divinity,  amusing  himself  in  tormenting  and  destroy- 
ing his  own  creatures,  imposing  on  them  the  obligation  of  conforming 
to  the  humiliating  practice  of  a  long  tedious  series  of  absurd  rites  to 
deserve  his  good  graces  I  " 

"  All  the  gods  they  manufacture,  my  dear  Onesime,  are  cut  on 
the  same  stupid  and  bad  pattern  I     Saturn  also  devoured  his  children," 

"  Saturn  I  But  that  Kronos,  Saturn  ;  he  belongs  to  the  Egyptian 
Pantheon,  that  ogre,  that  voracious  god.  I  think  he  was  one  of  the 
three  husbands  of  the  goddess  Athor." 

"  Precisely  !  His  two  collaborators  were  Phtah  and  Thoth,  of 
whom  the  Greeks  have  made  Yulcau  and  Hermes,"  answered  the 
Doctor. 

"  That's  immoral  enough." 

''  Everything  is  permitted  to  the  gods." 

"  Yes,  but  three  men  for  one  woman  is " 


222 


THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 


"Polyandry,  neither  more  nor  less.  Besides,  it  is  a  custom 
rather  common  among  the  Arabs,"  said  Keradec. 

"  One  woman  is  generally  sufficient  for  a  man's  happiness." 

"  Or  his  misfortune  !  " 

"  When  one  is  clumsy." 

"  Well,  gentlemen,"  interrupted  Keradec,  "  we  will  take  a  turn 
through  the  Citadel  before  dark,  if  you  like  ;  it  is  five  o'clock  ;  we 
have  an  hour  before  us,  let  us  profit  by  it." 


The  entrance  to  the  Citadel. 

They  left  their  donkeys  and  donkey  boys  on  the  Place  Roumeilieh, 
which  they  soon  reached,  to  enter  the  fortress. 

"  Here,"  said  Keradec,  "  is  the  Chateau  of  Youssouf  Salah-Edden, 
the  famous  Saladin,  built  under  the  direction  of  Karagueuz,  his  first 
Minister." 

"  That  Karagueuz  was  a  sort  of  cracked  person,"  advanced 
On^sime. 

"  That  is  what  is  said  of  the  eunuch,  although  his  acts  do  not 
quite  respond  to  the  reputation  he  enjoys." 


THE    CITADEL — JOSEPH  S    WELL.  223 

They  found  themselves  facing  one  of  the  entrances  to  the  Citadel 
called  Bab-el-Azab,  or  Gate  of  the  Mamelukes. 

The  gate,  in  pure  Saracen  style,  with  elliptic  ogee,  opens  between 
two  massive  towers,  striped  with  broad  liorizontal  bands  alternately 
red  and  white.  They  enter,  and  follow  the  narrow  crooked  lane  which 
leads  to  the  upper  part  of  the  stronghold. 

"It  was  in  this  small  defile,"  explained  the  Doctor,  "that  was 
performed  that  terrible  butchery  of  the  Mamelukes,  which  at  one 
stroke  destroyed  the  power  of  the  Beys,  and  established  that  of 
Mahomet  Ali,  who  ordered  the  bloody  drama." 

'•'  And  not  one  of  them  escaped  the  massacre  ?  "  asked  Jacques. 

"  Yes,  one,  Emin  Bey,  the  Arabs  relate  ;  his  horse  flew  with  a 
prodigious  bound  over  the  parapet  of  the  rampart.  If  Hassan,  youi 
donkey  boy,  were  here,  Monsieur  Coquillard,  he  would  show  you, 
without  hesitation,  the  spot  where  the  frightful  leap  was  accomplished." 

"  Emin  Bey's  horse  must  have  had  wonderful  legs,"  summed  up 
On^sime,  measuring  the  height  of  the  parapet  with  his  eye.  "  And 
Hassan  would  have  tremendous  cheek  if  he  dared  to  affirm  the  thing 
and  show  me  the  place  where  it  occurred." 

"  But  every  one  believes  it  here." 

"  So  much  the  worse  for  every  one." 

They  had  reached  the  inner  courtyard.  After  having  stopped 
for  an  instant  before  the  old  mosque,  in  the  Byzantine  style,  of 
Khalaoun,  almost  destroyed,  and  the  cupola  of  which  has  fallen  in, 
they  go  towards  Joseph's  Well,  which  is  close  by. 

"  Do  they  make  the  sinking  of  it  so  ancient  as  the  chaste  Joseph 
of  the  Bible  ?  "  inquired  Onesime. 

"  The  legend  does,  but  history  affirms  that  it  was  Youssouf,  the 
Mameluke  Joseph,  who  had  this  well  sunk.  Another  version  says 
that  the  latter  merely  had  it  cleared  of  the  sand  with  which  it  was 
filled  up,  but  is  silent  as  to  the  name  of  the  person  who  had  it  bored 
in  the  first  instance  ;  so  you  have  the  choice  between  the  two  Josephs, 
the  servant  of  Potiphar  and  the  Youssouf  of  Saladin." 
'  "  Only  a  Pharaoh  would  be  capable  of  such  a  fancy  ;  he  must 
have   bored   this   pit   to   put   a   tomb   there;    and    the   Arabs,   like 


224  THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 

jjractical  people,  transformed  the  mummy  liole  into  a  well,  after  having 
cleared  it  of  the  sand." 

"  That  is  an  hypothesis  like  another  ;  let  us  go  and  verify  it,  and 
examine  this  celebrated  well,  which  is  assuredly  very  curious." 

Ondsime  approached  the  orifice,  but  firmly  refused  to  take  the 
snail's  path  that  leads  to  the  bottom. 

"  I  go  down  there  !  "  he  exclaimed ;  "  and  who  will  bring  me  up 
again  ?     Not  I,  for  sure  I  " 

"  Very  well  !  you  will  remain  there.  It  appears  there  is  a  good 
Arab  fellow  down  below  who  sleeps  there  ;  he  will  keep  you  company, 
you  who  like  the  Arabs." 

"  Pardon  !  the  Saltans  only." 

"  The  depth  is  barely  two  hundred  feet,  Monsieur  Coquillard." 

"  That  is  two  hundred  too  many  ;  and  besides,  you  see,  I  do  not 
care  about  wandering  like  that  at  the  bottom  of  wells — it's  unhealthy, 
one  catches  colds  there.  Go  on  !  Do  not  stand  on  ceremony  ;  a 
pleasant  journey  !  Amuse  yourselves  well  ;  I  will  await  you  here, 
and  light  a  cigar."  He  installs  himself  on  a  stone  in  the  shade,  while 
Jacques  and  K^radec  descend. 

The  spiral  path  on  a  gentle  slope  turns  round  the  wall  of  the 
well,  which  is  provided  with  semicircular  oi3enings  ;  about  half-way 
down  a  large  landing,  hollowed  out  of  the  massive  rock,  comprises  a 
stable  for  the  bullocks  and  their  guardian,  a  forage  loft,  and  a  large 
reservoir.  The  well  is  covered  over  by  a  circular  wooden  trap  on 
a  level  with  the  landing  ;  a  mechanism  set  in  motion  by  oxen  raises 
the  water  and  empties  it  into  the  reservoir,  while  another  sakieh, 
established  at  the  top  of  the  well,  takes  the  water  from  this  reservoir, 
raises  it  to  the  orifice,  and  throws  it  into  a  trough,  whence  it  runs 
to  the  diff'erent  quarters  of  the  Citadel. 

Ktiradec  and  Jacques  were  not  long  in  reappearing. 

"  Well !  "  inquired  Onesime,  "  is  it  nice  down  there  ?  " 

"  Eather  cool,"  answered  Kdradec  ;  "  but  it's  very  interesting  to 
see.  Let  us  hurry  off  and  warm  ourselves  in  the  sun,  and  pay  a 
visit  to  the  Mosque  of  Mahomet  Ali,  before  the  daylight  quits  us  "  ; 
and  they  proceed  there  at  a  brisk  pace. 


THE    MOSQUE    OF    MAHOMET    ALT.  225 

They  had  hardly  entered  before  One'sime  was  quite  bewitched  by 
the  luxury  of  the  interior  of  the  edifice.  The  sun,  at  that  moment 
streaming  through  its  broad  European  windows,  cast  warm  sliadows 
on  the  walls,  caught  all  the  twistings  and  windings  of  its  pillars, 
gleamed  on  the  alabaster  columns,  and  formed  great  squares  on  the 
ground,  where  the  pattern  of  ex(|uisite  colours  of  the  Smyrna  carpets 
covering  the  floor  shone  out  in  admirable  brightness.  He  was  some- 
what of  the  opinion  of  his  two  companions,  who  found  the  mimbar 
too  profusely  gilded,  the  form  of  the  windows  heavy,  the  cliaudelier 
suspended  in  the  centre  of  the  arch  more  pretentious  than  beautiful, 
the  mihrah  all  in  alabaster  very  ordinary ;  he  thought,  as  they  did, 
that  while  the  architect  was  about  it  he  might  have  made  the  columns 
entirely  of  alabaster,  instead  of  making  the  base  and  lower  part  of 
it,  and  painting  the  upper  part  in  imitation.  However,  he  did  not  go 
to  the  length  of  regretting,  with  them,  the  destruction  of  Saladin's 
Palace,  on  the  site  of  which  the  Mosque  is  built. 

But,  in  spite  of  all,  he  found  himself  affected  l)y  this  luxury  of 
refined  taste,  by  this  relative  modern  comfort  ;  he  basked  in  the 
lukewarm  atmosphere  which  enveloped  him  in  a  soft  caress.  His 
footsteps,  deafened  by  the  thickness  of  the  carpets,  did  not  make 
the  least  noise  ;  he  observed  with  good-natured  pity  the  faithful, 
slowly  inclining  in  the  silent  performance  of  their  devotions  ;  he 
followed  their  ceaseless  genuflexions  with  a  look  of  tenderness  ; 
he  remembered,  not  without  some  emotion,  with  which  was  mingled 
a  pinch  of  jealousy,  the  delicious  jiromises  to  true  believers  in 
Mahomet's  Paradise,  and  had  vague  thoughts  of  changing  his  helmet 
for  a  turban ;  he  felt  himself  gently  becoming  a  Mussulman.  Little 
by  little,  lost  in  his  dream,  his  eyelids  became  heavy,  the  eyes  closed, 
first  of  all  for  long  intervals,  then  completely.  He  advanced 
mechanically ;  the  voices  of  Jacques  and  Ke'radec,  chatting  beside 
him,  now  only  reached  his  ears  in  a  confused  hum  ;  his  head  slightly 
oscillated,  and  he  was  about  to  give  way  to  the  sweet  and  irresistible 
torpor  which  was  gaining  possession  of  him,  when  Jacques  all  at 
once  seized  him  by  the  arm  and  abruptly  pulled  him,  at  the  moment 
when  he  was  on  the  point  of  stumbling  and  tumbling  on  the  back 

15 


226  THE  LAND  OF  THE  SPHINX. 

of  a  Mussulman  devotee,  absorbed  in  prayer,  with  his  face  towards 
Mecca. 

"Halt  there!  Help!"  cried  Onesime  in  a  stentorian  voice, 
with  wild  eyes,  his  hands  extended  forward  ;  all  at  once  dragged 
from  his  dream  by  this  abrupt  jerk,  and  still  under  -the  influence  of 
iiis  hallucination,  he  thought  himself  suddenly  attacked. 

"  Hold  your  tongue,  you  unlucky  devil ! "  Jacques  said  to  him 
in  a  subdued  tone.     "Are  you  mad?" 

"  Oh  !     It's  you  !  "  he  answered,  looking  at  him  in  astonishment. 

"  Yes,  it's  me,  of  course  !  Who  on  earth  did  you  suppose  it  was  ? 
Are  you  ill  ?     What  has  taken  possession  of  you  ?  " 

"  Why,  you  have,"  said  Onesime,  now  well  awake  and  recovering 
all  his  presence  of  mind  ;  "  you  are  still  holding  me  !  " — and  he  looked 
at  Jacques,  who  had  not  yet  let  go  of  him,  in  a  rather  cunning  way. 

"  You  were  asleep  then  on  your  feet  ?  " 

"  I  would  not  swear  to  the  contrary  I  It  is  so  nice  here ;  and  I  think, 
God  forgive  me,  that  I  dreamt  I  was  a  Pasha,  or  something  similar." 

"  With  how  many  tails  ?  " 

"  They  had  not  yet  grown  ;  you  awoke  me  too  soon,  or  rather  just 
in  time,  for  the  Sultan  had  sent  me  the  bow-string  ;  I  was  condemned 
to  strangle  myself.     You  have  saved  my  life.     Thanks  !  " 

"  Don't  mention  it.  What  is  positive  is  that  you  were  about  to 
crush  this  child  of  Mahomet,  so  busy  in  assuring  his  salvation. 
I  stopped  you  in  time." 

"  It's  all  the  fault  of  religions  ! " 

"  Of  religions  ?  " 

"  Yes  ;  if  there  were  no  religions  there  would  not  be  places  of 
worship  ;  if  there  were  no  places  of  worship  we  should  not  be  in  this 
one  ;  I  should  not  have  fallen  asleep  here,  and  you  would  not  have 
had  to  wake  me  with  a  start  to  prevent  me  from  crushing  one  of  my 
fellow-beings  ;  it's  very  simple,  as  you  see." 

"  What  I  see  is  that  we  should  do  well  to  bolt ;  your  unseemly 
outcry  has  troubled  the  piety  of  the  faithful ;  they  are  looking  at  us 
angrily  ;  let  us  get  into  the  courtyard,  and  go  and  see  that  splendid 
sunset." 


SUNSET.  229 

"  When  I  told  you  that  all  evil  came  from  religions  I  "  murmnred 
Onesime,  as  they  went  away. 

"  You  see,"  said  the  Doctor  to  Jacques,  when,  on  reaching  the 
grand  court  surrounded  by  an  alabaster  colonnade,  they  could  take 
in  the  whole  building  at  a  single  glance,  "  there  is  nothing  remark- 
able but  the  size,  and  the  wealth  of  materials  used  in  buildino-  it 
With  its  Byzantine  cupolas,  its  two  slender  minarets  with  pointed 
roofs,  it  is  nothing  but  a  rather  successful  imitation  of  the  great 
mosques  of  Constantinople." 

"  Whether  it  be  a  copy  or  not,  it  pleases  me,  this  mosque  ;  it  is 
kept  cleaner  than  the  others,"  answered  Onesime. 

"  And  one  can  sleep  upright  in  it,"  retorted  Jacques. 

"  Where  is  the  harm,  after  all  ?  " 

"  There  is  none  when  one  has  a  friend  at  hand  to  prevent  it." 

"  The  discretion  of  the  person  who  renders  you  a  service  doubles 
the  value  of  that  service,"  said  Onesime,  senteutiously. 

"  And  1  am  not  discreet,  because  I  am  an  honest  man  ;  I  do  not 
wish  to  double  the  importance  of  the  obligations  people  may  be  under 
to  me  by  my  discretion." 

"  Paradox  on  two  legs  without  feathers,  go  on  I  " 

At  that  moment  they  were  ou  the  terrace  :  the  view  was  unique, 
fairy-like,  with  the  splendid  sunset. 

At  their  feet  sjjread  out  the  city,  immense  ;  in  the  near  fore- 
ground they  distinctly  perceived  the  mosque  of  Sultan  Hassan ;  that 
of  Touloun,  with  its  strange  minaret  ;  farther  on  the  barracks  in  the 
Square  Karameidan  ;  then,  in  a  dust  of  gold,  in  a  luminous  swarm, 
rose  an  infinite  confused  mass  of  terraces,  domes,  cupolas,  minarets  ; 
and,  amidst  all  these,  a  few  black  lines  indicating  the  network  of 
streets.  The  Esbekieh  Garden  made  a  green  spot  on  this  blond, 
vaporous  expanse,  terminated  by  the  bordering  of  European  houses  in 
the  wealthy  Ismailieh  quarter,  ^vhich  spread  as  far  as  Boulak.  The 
Nile  shone  like  a  silver  blade  in  a  green  belt  of  trees  ;  and,  in  the 
extreme  background,  standing  out  in  the  bluish,  misty  ground  of  the 
desert,  the  great  silhouettes,  of  a  deeper  blue,  of  the  Pyramids. 

The  sun  sank  slowlv  to  the  horizon.     At  one  moment,  before  dis- 


230 


THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 


appearing,  there  was  a  sort  of  prodigious  dazzle  of  brightness,  a  species 
of  gigantic  halo  filling  the  sky,  illuminating  space  ;  and  the  city,  all 
streaming  in  light,  became  resplendent  with  endless  scintillation 
beneath  this  brilliant  glowing  avalanche  of  purple  and  gold.  The  Nile 
glittered  ;  the  fields  suddenly  became  a  more  intense  green  ;  for  an 
instant  the  minarets  shone  like  needles  of  fire  ;  the  cupolas  sparkled, 
the  domes  beamed  in  a  general  conflagration.  Then  the  orb  of  fire  dis- 
ajipeared  on  the  horizon,  and  instantly  all  was  pale  ;  the  sky  turned 
green,  the  streams  of  light  died  out  ;  the  strong  colours  abruptly 
became  softer  ;  the  gold  and  purple  of  a  moment  ago  were  trans- 
formed into  orange,  violet,  and  then  into  blue  tones  ;  the  air  suddenly 
freshened,  the  shadows  increased  in  intensity  ;  and  soon,  almost  with- 
out transition,  all  was  lost  in  a  great  sombre  tint,  and  night  came ! 

"  Brrr !  "  said  One'sime,  shivering  and  putting  on  his  overcoat  ; 
"that  is  done  rapidly  here;  the  sun's  in  a  hurry,  he  does  not  care 
about  eking  the  hours  out  with  lanterns  on  the  horizon,  twilighting  as 
he  does  at  home.  He  does  not  mince  matters  ;  as  soon  as  he  has  done 
his  work,  '  Good-night,  all ! '  "  He  bows  to  the  ground  and  turns  on 
his  heels  ;  then,  addressing  Jacques  :  "  There,  you're  pleased  now. 
You've  treated  yourself  to  your  sunset  !  " 

When  they  found  their  donkey  boys  again  on  the  Place  Roumeilieh 
night  was  complete. 


The  Step  Pyramid. 


CHAPTER   XI. 

Onesime's  gallantry  almost  gets  him  into  trouble  ;  Hassan  saves  his  equilibrium. — 
Among  the  palms  of  Bedrasheen.  —  Local  silhouettes.  —  The  Colossus  of 
Barneses  II. — A  chaos  of  ruins. — On^sime  steals  away. — Jacques  and  Keradec 
go  forward.  —  Sakarah. — A  negro  dance.  —  Round  the  town. — Picturesque 
scenes. — Dealers  in  antiquities. — Meeting  a  saint. — In  the  desert. — The  Step 
Pyramid.  —  Onesime  calls  it  a  mischievous  gossip.  —  The  Mastaba  of  El- 
Pharaoun. — The  tomb  of  Ti. — Where  one  sees  that  the  fellah  was  made  for  the 
stick,  and  vice  versa. — From  the  dweller  in  caves  to  him  on  the  Boulevards. — 
How  we  return  to  the  age  of  polished  stone. — Digressions  on  Egyptiau  art. — 
Description  of  the  bas-reliefs  of  the  tomb  of  Ti,  and  what  One'sime  thinks  of 
them. — Mariette's  house. 


^'  /^  EE  U13,  Jackass !  "  It  is  One'sime  who  treats  "  Monsieur  de 
^-^  Lesseps "  with  this  excessive  familiarity,  and  the  ass, 
notwithstanding  his  rider's  weight,  scampers  away  at  full  gallop  along 
the  road  leading  to  the  railway  station  for  Upper  Egypt ;  Hassan,  as 
gay  as  a  lark,  with  his  habouches  in  his  hand,  runs  along  behind 
him  ;  Jacques  and  Keradec  follow  at  a  short  distance. 

Ondsime,  fresh  and  nimble,  radiant,  in  a  good  humour,  smiles 
complaisantly  in  the  black  thickness  of  his  well-combed  beard,  shining, 
perfumed,  embalming  the  air  with  subtle  odours.  From  the  height  of 
his  beautiful  red  leather  saddle  he  gives  himself  a  lordly  bearing, 
holding  the  reins  high,  joyfully  drumming  with  his  elbows,  which  rise 

231 


232  THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 

and  fall  ou  his  sides  with  the  regularity  of  a  pendulum.  He  makes 
his  switch  double  round  the  thighs  of  his  donkey,  who  is  quite 
astonished  at  a  behaviour  so  inordinate,  and  so  completely  foreign  to 
the  usual  habits  of  the  person  riding  him. 

Making  a  frightful  abuse  of  the  only  three  Arabic  words  that  he 
knows,  chimalan  (to  the  left),  yaminan  (to  the  right),  dogri  (straight 
on),  he  vociferates  them  constantly  and  absolutely  without  purpose 
in  a  tremendously  resonant  voice,  and  disdainfully  casts  a  jjroud 
glance  on  the  passers-by.  The  latter  stop  and  gaze  with  curious 
astonishment  at  this  fat,  chubby-cheeked  individual,  provided  with  a 
white  helmet  and  blue  spectacles,  sheltered  by  a  gigantic  parasol,  and 
whose  jovial  face  forms  a  strange  contrast  to  his  conquering  airs  ;  then 
they  smile,  follow  him  for  a  few  moments  with  their  eyes,  and  continue 
on  their  way.  Urchins,  less  polite,  mock  him,  and  in  spite  of  blows 
from  Hassan's  courbash  address  somewhat  uncomely  epithets  to  him. 

One'sime's  exaggerated  confidence  in  the  stability  of  his  equilibrium, 
which  is  all  the  more  compromised  by  the  stiffness  of  his  attitude, 
plays  him  a  nasty  trick  :  at  the  corner  of  a  street,  agreeably  tickled 
in  his  self-esteem  by  the  killing  glance  that  a  slightly  buxom  and 
decidedly  Levantine  housewife  casts  at  him  as  she  passes  along,  he 
wishes  to  engage  in  a  contest  of  gallantry,  and  turning  round  back- 
wards he  sends  a  fascinating  kiss  with  a  most  graceful  curve  of  the 
arm.  But,  alas  !  forgetting  to  warn  "  Monsieur  de  Lesseps,"  who 
bravely  continues  his  gallop,  of  his  intention,  he  spins  round  in  his 
saddle,  loses  his  stirrups,  and  is  about  to  make  a  plunge  into  the 
middle  of  the  road,  when  Hassan,  who  was  watching  the  game  out 
of  the  corner  of  his  eye,  and  had  foreseen  the  conclusion,  catches 
him  in  the  middle  of  his  parabola,  supports  him  in  his  arms,  and  re- 
equilibriates  him  in  the  saddle,  without  either  him  or  his  animal 
stopping  for  a  second. 

Onesime  perceives  himself,  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye,  fall,  rise 
again,  gain  the  saddle,  and  continue  his  furious  gallop.  It  is  a  regular 
juggler's  play.  He  is  bewildered,  and  at  the  bottom  a  little  ashamed. 
Hassan  rises  in  his  esteem  ;  however,  he  does  not  cancel  his  pro- 
hibition in  regard  to  the  "  Ah  !  "  and  continues  to  retain  tlie  stick. 


AMONG    THE    TALMS    OF    BEDRASHEEN. 


233 


"  By  Jove  !  I  escaped  it  beautifully,  thanks  to  Hassan,"  he 
remarks  to  Jacques,  who  has  rejoined  him  and  gallops  at  his  side. 
"  I  almost  fell " ;  and  he  pronounces  those  words  with  comic  despair, 
which  shows  that  his  vanity  has  been  severely  wounded  by  this  slur 
on  his  recent  equestrian  pretensions. 

"  Bah  !  Louis  XIY.  was  once  almost  obliged  to  wait,"  said 
Jacques  to  console  him. 

"  Yes,   but   he   did   not   run    the    risk    of    breaking    his    spine 
whereas  I " 

"  You — you  are  Onesime  Coquillard,  you  are  not  Louis  XIY." 

"  That's  possible,  but  I  care  as  much  about  my  skin  as  he  probably 
did  about  his,  I  suppose." 

"  He  particularly  !  who  had  a  double  stomach." 

"  A  double  stomach  !  " 

"  That  excites  your  envy  ?  that  double  stomach  of  a  crowned  head  ?  " 

"I  own  that,  in  case  of  need,  I  would  have  used  it  as  well  as 
he  did,  and  without  the  least  trouble;  a  spare  stomach  is  not  to 
be  disdained,"  he  con- 
cluded, as  the  cavalcade 
burst  into  the  railway 
station  at  full  speed. 

They  jump  into  the 
train,  the  donkey  boys 
install  themselves  in  a 
cattle-truck  with  their 
animals,  and  twenty 
minutes  afterwards 
they  are  at  Bedrasheen, 
a  large  village,  full  of 
shade  and  freshness, 
between  the  Nile  and  a 
forest  of  palm  trees. 

They  drag  the  don- 
keys   out   of  the    truck  ;  A.roveufpalu,  t.ec. 

the  railway  journey  has  made  them  lively.     "  De  Lesseps  "  prances, 


234 


THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 


fi 


"  Gambetta  "  is  restive,  ''  Telegraph  "  vigorously  scrapes  the  ground  ; 
Hassan,  Ahmed,  Abdallah  hold  their  respective  animals  with  difficulty, 

while  their  riders  get  astride  of  them. 

Onesime  settles  himself  to  his  best 
on  the  backbone  of  "  De  Lesseps,"  whose 
l)etulance  makes  him  feel  rather  anxious ; 
Jacques  rises  in  the  saddle,  and  gently 
caresses  "  Gambetta "  with  his  hand  ; 
Keradec  takes  tbe  lead,  seated  on  "  Tele- 
graph." 

The  caravan  advances  at  a  slow  trot 
along  the  road  leading  through  a  superb 
grove  of  palm  trees.  They  grow 
thick  beneath  this  blue  sky,  bury- 
ing their  roots  in  a  fertile  silt,  a 
thick  sheet  of  earth  extended  over 
those  numberless  generations  of 
men  who  for  more  than  six  thousand 
years  lived  in  the  city  of  Menes. 

On  their  left  the  ground  is 
strewn  with  bricks,  broken  rem- 
nants of  pottery,  pieces  of  statues  ; 
bits  of  sculpture,  stumps  of  columns 
lie  here  and  there,  with  blocks  of 
'■  granite    covered   with   half-effaced 

hieroglyphics.  To  the  right  palm 
trees  extend  as  far  as  the  eye  can  see, 
bending  beneath  the  force  of  the  wind. 

A  swarm  of  little  black  creatures,  half- 
naked  brats,  with  squeaky  voices,  as  nimble 
as  squirrels,  follow  them,  laughing,  chirping 
in  a  shrill  treble,  incessantly  extending  their 
little  monkey  paws,  making  their  throats  sore  with  their  demands  for 
"  baksisse." 

If  the  party  stops  for  an  instant  before  some  interesting  lump  of 


Arab  iDeggars. 


LOCAL    SILHOUETTES. 


235 


cornice,  or  fragment  of  a  stela,  the  frightened  boys  fly  away,  pushing 
each  other  about,  and,  when  once  at  a  distance,  continue  their 
impudent  litany  in  a  more  piercing  tone  than  over.  They  are  like  a 
flight  of  sparrows  sporting  in  the  sun,  cleaning  themselves  in  the  dust. 

Under  the  trees  the  light  plays  with  the  shadows,  and  produces 
unexpected  effects,  sometimes  that  of  a  powerful  enhanced  coloration, 
rendered  deeper  still  by  the  opposition  of  shades  of  vigorously  de- 
termined   violet-black  ;    sometimes 
of  a  softness,  a  harmony,  a  charm 
that  are  exquisite. 

At  the  top  of  a  palm  tree,  a 
fellah,  his  feet  resting  against  the 
trunk,  secured  round  the  loins  by 
a  strap  that  encircles  the  tree, 
gathers  well- clothed  branches  of 
dates  in  a  kouffa,  while  another, 
suspended  in  the  same  way,  makes 
a  female  palm  tree  fruitful. 

Beside  the  road,  his  feet  buried 
in  the  dust,  an  old  fellah  clasps 
a  distaff ;  his  shadow  in  the  strong 
light  falls  hard  and  crisp  on  the 
wall  at  his  back  ;  his  naked  skull 
shines  in  the  sun  like  a  mirror  ; 
his  features  are  drawn  ;  his  skin, 

strewn  with  tufts  of  white  hair,  resembles  an  old  parchment.  It  is 
stretched  so  tightly  on  his  bones  that,  in  places,  it  seems  as  if  it  would 
burst.  He  mumbles  a  few  words  in  a  hollow  voice  as  he  sees  them 
pass,  while  his  long,  thin,  knotty  fingers  turn  the  spindle  with  a 
febrile  movement.  His  dull  eye  stares  vaguely  into  space.  Death 
must  have  forgotten  him. 

And  here  is  a  handsome  dark  girl,  a  young  peasant  woman,  her 
arms  encircled  with  copper  bracelets,  draped  in  her  blue  gown,  with 
a,  gotdah  on  the  head.  She  veils  a  corner  of  her  face,  and  as  you  pass 
you  notice  the  flame  of  her  eyes,  the  pearly  whiteness  of  lier  teeth. 


Fellah  gathering  dates 


236 


THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 


<^^ 


From  time  to  time  green  fields  and  fellaheen  at  work  appear 
through  an  opening.  On  all  sides  are  pigeons  in  innumerable 
quantities. 

The  air  is  admirably  pure  ;  Onesime  assumes  a  grave  and  majestic 
air  on  his  donkey,  with  the  negligence  of  a  Pasha,  hardly  listening 
to  Jacques  and  K^radec,  who  talk  without  stopping.  They  proceed 
slowly,  quite  impregnated  with  this  freshness  of  the  landscape. 

In  a  i)it  beside  the  road  lies  a  heap,  without 
form  at  first  sight ;  they  stop,  descend  to  the 
bottom  of  the  hole  ;  it  is  the  Colossus  of 
Eameses  II.,  resting  with  the  face  to  the  earth. 
At  close  quarters  the  features  of  the  Pharaoh 
are  distinguished  with  difficulty.  Every  year  the 
Nile  comes  and  kisses  the  face  of  the  "  beloved 
son  of  Ammon  "  with  its  fertilising  wave.  Each 
year  he  sinks  deeper  and  deeper  in  the  coating* 
of  silt  deposited  by  the  inundation,  and  before 
long,  if  England,  to  whom  he  belongs,  does  not 
have  him  removed,  or  at  all  events  set  upright, 
he  will  disappear  as  have  disappeared  all  the 
monuments  of  Memphis. 

A  little  farther  on,  in  a  square  of  ground 
surrounded  by  a  fence,  are  a  few  remains  dis- 
covered by  Mariette,  which  are  waiting  to  be 
conveyed  to  some  museum. 

From  time  to  time  a  mass  of  bare  granite 
protrudes  through  the  earth,  resembling  the  back 
of  a  jiachydermis  buried  in  the  mud  ;  it  is  the 
Arab  woman  returning  from     shouldcr   Or  head  of  a   Colossus   about  to  dis- 

drawing  water. 

appear. 

To  the  left  of  the  road  it  is  always  the  same  :  ground  turned 
topsy-turvy,  gaping  holes,  heaps  of  rubbish,  sprinkled  with  fragments 
of  pottery,  crushed  bricks,  broken  shafts  of  columns,  miserable 
remains  of  the  splendid  city. 

Leaving  the  road  they  adventure  across  this  chaos   of  complete 


A   CHAOS    OF   EUINS.  237 

demolition.     Tlie   air  is  warm,  the  reverberation  of  the  suu  on  the 
ruins  is  insupportable. 

The  donkeys  stumble,  the  rubbish  rolls  away  noisily  beneath  their 
tread,  the  bricks  are  chipped,  the  pottery  is  broken  up  smaller. 
Onesime  has  almost  fallen  off  his  steed  into  a  hole,  the  edge  of 
which  gave  way  with  a  clatter  on  his  imprudently  approaching  too 
close  to  it  :  he  turns  round  and  regains  the  road. 

The  Doctor  and  Jacques  continue  crossing  these  heaps  of  ruins, 
climbing  the  mounds,  descending  the  slopes,  and  soon  reach  a  hillock 
sufficiently  lofty  to  command  the  entire  plain. 

To  their  right,  on  the  other  side  of  the  palm  trees,  the  Nile  is 
resplendent  in  the  sun,  dotted  with  dahabiehs  with  white  sails  ;  to  the 
left,  beyond  the  cultivated  fields,  standing  out  against  the  palm  trees 
in  the  foreground,  expands  the  plateau  of  the  Libyan  desert,  with  naked, 
sterile  flanks  of  a  reddish  yellow,  a  sort  of  calcareous  wall  running 
parallel  with  the  river,  forming  a  barrier,  so  to  say,  to  the  west, 
all  bristling  with  pyramids  :  those  of  Ghizeh  quite  to  the  north  on 
the  horizon,  and,  more  to  the  south,  those  of  Abou  Seir;  then,  as  they 
draw  nearer,  seated  between  his  two  mutilated  sisters,  the  Step  Pvramid 
of  the  "  Black  Bull,"  whose  imposing  silhouette  dominates  with 
sombre  majesty  over  all  this  sadness  scorched  by  the  sun  ;  behind 
these  the  group  of  mutilated  pyramids  of  Dashour  forms,  to  the  south, 
the  limit  of  this  immense  city  of  the  dead,  slumbering  in  the  silence 
of  the  desert.  Between  the  Libyan  chain  and  the  Nile  extends  the 
abode  of  the  living. 

After  a  prolonged  contemplation,  Jacques  and  the  Doctor  regain 
the  road  as  well  as  they  are  able.  Onesime,  who  had  gone  ofi"  to 
<iuietly  smoke  a  cigar  and  rest  in  the  shade  of  the  palm  trees,  remounts 
his  ass,  laughs  a  little  at  the  two  friends  about  their  love  for  broken 
pots,  and  they  continue  trotting  gaily  along  the  road  that  takes  them 
to  Sakarah. 

Near  the  walls,  before  a  sort  of  low  coffee-house,  are  some  wooden 
posts  supporting  a  roof  made  of  a  few  planks,  on  which  branches  of 
sorghum,  palm-fibre,  old  cages,  broken  jars  have  been  thrown,  and  here 
a  gathering  has  formed.      Fellaheen  sitting  down  are  taking  their 


238 


THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 


coffee  ;  a  youug  peasant  woman,  a  Bedonin  perched  on  his  camel^ 
two  or  three  wretches  drunk  with  raki  or  hashish,  applaud  with  noisy 
laughter  the  foul  contortions  of  a  vile  buffoon.  The  latter,  a  negro 
covered  with  tinsel,  necklaces,  bracelets,  dances,  imitating,  in  a  way 
that  leaves  little  room  for  doubt,  the  movements,  attitudes,  and  smiles 
of  an  almeh.     The  sight  is  revolting. 

At  the  gate  of  the  village  a  pack  of  lean,  hoarse  dogs,  with  bristly 
yellow  hair,  receive  them  with  deafening  yelps.     The  blows  that  the 

donkey  boys  generously  distribute  to  them 
increase  the  tumult.  Onesime  trembles  for 
his  calves. 

Instead  of  entering  the  place  they  skirt 
the  outer  walls  of  its  ramparts,  which 
are  very  high  and  of  a  bright  whiteness. 
Picturesque  groups  are  camped  along  them. 
Here  is  a  blacksmith,  shining  with 
sweat,  with  his  apron  of  buffalo  hide,  his 
head  covered  with  a  red  skull-cap,  black 
with  filth  and  smoke  ;  he  beats  a  bar  of 
red  iron  on  a  very  small  anvil  let  in  across 
the  unbarked  trunk  of  a  tree,  while  a  hectic 
urchin  seems  to  be  playing  a  toneless  ac- 
cordion, as  he  sets  in  motion  the  primitive 
bellows,  which  stimulates  a  meagre  fire 
covered  with  cow-dung  dried  in  the  sun. 
Here  a  family  of  unfortunates  in  rags  has  established  its  dwelling- 
place.  Squatting  on  a  heap  of  broken  straw,  whicli  they  share  with 
three  mangy  dogs  and  a  donkey  covered  with  raw  sores,  they  mutually 
free  themselves  of  the  vermin  which  devours  them  ;  when  the  fingers 
are  insufficient,  they  bite  freely  with  their  teeth,  just  like  their  four- 
footed  guests. 

The  three  friends  pass  at  a  respectful  distance  from  the  group. 
Farther  on  is  a  boat  on  the  stocks  :  Arabs  are  calking  it  ;  women 
beside  them  are  mending  the  sails,  torn  in  shreds. 

Here  is  an  old,  grey-bearded  weaver  ;   with  a  well-applied  blow 


street  at  Sakarah. 


Negro  Dancers. 


PICTUEESQUE    SCENES. 


241 


from  the  back  of  his  hand,  he  chastises  the  cariosity  of  a  young  fellah, 
his  sou  or  his  assistant,  who  has  so  far  forgotten  himself  as  to  look 
at  the  roumis  instead  of  turning  the  wheel. 

A  knife-grinder  with  his  great  toe  sets  in  motion  his  mill-stone, 
which  is  supported  by  two  shafts  inclined  against  a  buttress  ;  he  is 
solidly  built ;  his  face  is  wan,  and  his  look  deceitful. 

At  each  step  are  pictures  full  of  originality  and  local  colouring. 

Near  one  of  the  entrances  to  the  village,  in  a  square  shaded  by  a 
tamarisk,  a  score  of  natives  are  basking  in  the  sun  like  lizards,  seated 
or  lying  on  a  little  low  wall  enclosing  a  meadow  where  a  cow  guarded 


The  tomb  of  the  Sheikh. 


by  an  old  woman  browses  :  at  the  appearance  of  the  "  Nazarenes  " 
they  rise,  look  at  them  maliciously,  and  exchange  some  words  with  the 
donkey  boys.  On  the  other  side  of  the  square,  a  great  sycamore  covers 
with  its  shade  the  cupola  of  an  Arab  chapel,  the  tomb  of  a  revered 
Sheikh  ;  the  cemetery  is  close  by,  and  isolated  tombs,  built  of  clay 
mixed  with  straw,  and  whitewashed,  rise  around  the  tree  and  extend 
as  far  as  the  road. 

Some  of  the  Arabs  have  approached  :  from  dirty  check-patterned 
handkerchiefs  hidden  beneath  their  burnouses  they  draw  out 
"  antiques,"  the  masks  of  mummies,  beetles,  divinities  in  bronze  ;  they 
do  so  with  some  hesitation  at  first,  the  sale  of  these  antiquities  being 
strictly  prohibited  ;  then,  becoming  bolder  little  by  little,  casting  aside 

16 


242 


THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 


all  reserve,  they  literally 
who  remembers  his  mishap 
misses  them  with  voice  and 


assail  the  travellers.  Onesime, 
with  the  hand  of  Onserkeres,  dis- 
gesture  ;  all  his  Arabic  vocabulary 
is  brought  into 
play:  "  Emshi !  " 
(be  off)  ;  "Yal- 
lah!"  (quickly); 
the  gesture  pro- 
duces no  effect, 
his  Arabic  makes 
them  laugh,  and 
"  A  n  t  i  q  u  0  s  !  " 
"Baksheesh, 
ketir  !  "  tickle  his 
ears  more  than 
ever  with  lament- 
able recrudescence 
of  tone. 

A  few  surly 
curs  show  their 
teeth,  and  give  a 
hoarse  bark. 

A  saint  in  rags, 
bearing  a  standard 
in  tatters,  casts  a 
terrible  glance  at 
them  as  he  passes, 
which  checks  the 
smile  that  his 
peculiar  appear- 
ance had  brought 
to  Onesime's 
countenance. 

"The   ugly  brute,"    he 
murmurs,     approaching 


MEETING    A    SAINT.  243 

Jacques.     "  There's  a  fellow  that  I  would  not  care  to  meet  at  night  at 
the  corner  of  a  wood.     What  a  disgusting  creature  !  " 

"  You  speak  of  saints  in  a  very  disrespectful  way." 

"  That  a  saint !     That  dirty  beast  ?  " 

"  Yes,  a  saint  !  See  what  respect  they  have  for  him  I  Our  donkey 
boys  kissed  his  hand  as  they  passed  ;  the  other  Arabs  do  the  same  ; 
others  devoutly  put  the  hem  of  his  filthy  rags  to  their  lips." 

"  Pouah  !     Are  they  not  sick  ?  " 

"  Bah  !  We  also  have  our  saints  preserved  in  devotion  and  filth  ; 
Saint  Benoit  Labre,  who  lived  on  a  dnngheap,  was  not  wanting  in 
admirers.  His  exemplary  dirtiness  procured  him  canonisation  ;  he 
picked  his  halo  up  out  of  dirt." 

"  After  all,  every  one  takes  his  comfort  where  he  finds  it  ;  but,  all 
the  same,  Mr.  Saint  has  a  bad  eye.  When  he  stared  me  out  of 
countenance  I  felt  cold  all  down  the  back." 

Keradec  does  not  trouble  about  the  saint;  he  is  eagerly  bargaining 
for  a  pretty  bronze  statuette  of  the  goddess  Sacht. 

Reaching  the  border  of  the  desert,  the  Arabs  relieve  them  of  their 
presence  ;  only  the  owner  of  the  goddess  insists  on  selling  it  to  the 
Doctor.  He  pesters  him  with  his  offers  ;  his  hand  on  the  donkey's 
back,  measuring  his  step  with  the  pace  of  the  animal,  he  pulls 
Keradec  at  every  instant  by  the  sleeve,  thrusting  the  statuette 
between  his  hands,  taking  it  back,  giving  it  him  again.  He  perspires 
in  great  drops,  displays  a  volubility  that  would  be  exasperating  to 
any  one  but  the  Doctor,  whom  this  tide  of  words  leaves  absolutely 
indifferent. 

The  heat  has  become  suffocating.  The  reverberation  of  the  sun  on 
the  ground,  in  the  march  through  these  waves  of  sand  and  multitude 
of  pieces  of  rock,  is  quite  distressing.  Every  now  and  then  they 
perceive  the  summit  of  the  Step  Pyramid  peep  up.  Oue'sime  has  not 
even  the  strength  to  complain  ;  he  does  nothing  but  blow  and  mop 
himself.  Jacques  is  in  a  hurry  to  arrive.  Keradec,  as  dry  as  a 
mummy,  will  not  budge  from  the  price  of  five  francs  that  he  offers  for 
the  bronze.  When  they  reach  the  foot  of  the  Step  Pyramid  the  bargain 
is  not  vet  concluded.     Onesime  is  stewed  in  his  own  juice  ;  Jac([ues  is 


244 


THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 


half  roasted.  They  stop  in  the  shadow  thrown  by  the  monument ;  men 
and  beasts  rest,  and  Keradec  ends  by  purchasing  Dame  Sacht. 

After  a  collation  that  was  too  slight  for  their  famished  appetites, 
Ahmed  serves  coffee.  One'sime,  comforted  and  dried,  finds  his  good 
humour  again ;  and  all  three  set  out  to  make  the  tour  of  the  pyramid. 

"  But,  I  say,  how  do  you  enter  that  box  ?  "  inquires  One'sime,  who, 
returning  to  the  point  of  departure,  has  not  noticed  the  least  trace  of 
an  opening. 

"You  don't  enter  it,  Monsieur  On^sime,  or  rather  you  enter  no 
more,  since  a  recent  slip  has  blocked  up  the  entrance." 


' 


''^^'^M%' 


The  Step  Pyramid. 

''  And  you  must  be  distressed,  my  dear  Doctor,  at  this  accident, 
which  prevents  you  from  investigating  the  inside  of  this  good  pyramid, 
from  searching  its  entrails,  and,  like  Cuvier,  who  reproduced  from  a 
collar-bone  the  figure  of  a  race  that  had  disappeared,  from  recon- 
structing from  a  calcinated  thigh-bone  or  a  bit  of  papyrus  a  theory 
•demolishing  that  of  a  colleague. 

"  She  was  a  clever  person,  this  Ko-Kome,  as  you  call  her,  who 
prudently  avoided  your  indiscreet  investigations.  Yau  are  so  enter- 
prising, you  men  of  learning,  that  she  must  have  felt  alarmed  in  her 
sense  of  modesty.     You  afiirm  with  such  charming  looseness  things 


THE    STEP    PmAMID.  245 

that  your  condisciples  contradict  with  such  perfect  ease,  that  to  put  an 
end  to  all  reports,  all  interviews,  the  good  dowager,  jealous  of  her 
reputation,  simply  shut  the  door  in  your  face." 

"  After  having  left  it  open  sufficiently  long  to  permit  of  its  being 
inspected  in  the  remotest  corners." 

''  In  those  that  she  chose  to  let  you  see.  Because  you  know  some 
parts  of  her  person,  you  must  not  conclude  that  you  know  the  whole 
of  it.  I  would  wager  that  the  sly  dame  has  masked  the  entrances 
to  one  or  two  small  trenches.  This,  they  say,  is  the  most  aged  of  the 
pyramids ;  it  must  be  the  most  cunning,  and  heaven  knows  what  this 
contemporary  of  j^rimitive  times  could  relate  to  us  if  it  would." 

"  Until  it  makes  up  its  mind,  and  this  Libyan  Phryne  casts  away 
her  last  veils,  this  is  what  we  know  of  it.  It  is,  as  you  said,  the  oldest 
pyramid  in  Egypt,  the  most  ancient  monument  on  the  earth.  Its  name 
is  Ko-Kome,  according  to  the  hieroglyphic  Ka-Kem,  the  '  black  bull.' 
It  dates  from  the  first  Thinite  dynasty ;  it  is  thought  that  it  was  built  by 
Ounephes;  a  passage  of  Manetho  appears  to  confirm  that  idea.  On  the 
other  hand,  Mariette  seems  to  be  of  the  opinion  that  beneath  this  pyramid 
is  the  most  ancient  tomb  of  the  Apis,  bulls'  bones  having  been  found 
there  in  large  quantities.  Finally,  the  presence  of  several  mummies 
that  are  not  royal  indicates  that  at  one  time  it  was  used  as  a  sepulchre 
for  private  people — for  the  high  and  mighty  of  the  Court,  no  doubt." 

"  Fie  I  When  one  has  had  the  honour  of  receinng  the  sacred 
remains  of  a  Pharaoh  or  an  Apis,  to  lower  oneself  to  the  point  of 
protecting  any  kind  of  corpse,  of  no  matter  whom,  is  derogatory  for  a 
jjyramid  that  respects  itself !  " 

"  Excuse  it,  Monsieur  Onesime.  It  is  the  first  time ;  it  has  not 
had  the  example  of  the  others  to  guide  it.  And  then  it  has  so 
many  peculiarities  that  distinguish  it  from  them.  First  of  all,  it  is 
not  set  according  to  the  cardinal  points.  Then  its  base  is  rectangular, 
and  not  square  ;  one  of  the  entrances  is  on  the  south  ;  it  is  built  in 
five  floors.     All  this  gives  it  an  aj)pearance  apart,  well  defined." 

"  And  what  is  the  arrangement  inside  ?  "  asked  Jacques. 

"  About  the  centre  of  the  pyramid,  on  a  level  with  its  base,  opens 
a  large  well  descending  to  a  great  depth  under  ground,  as  far  as  the 


246  THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 

room  of  the  sarcophagus,  the  residence  of  the  Pharaoh  or  of  the  Apis. 
At  this  well  terminate  a  number  of  corridors  running  in  every  direc- 
tion. Four  rooms  and  several  niches  exist  besides  that  of  the  tomb. 
Sarcophagi,  mummies,  ox-bones,  show  what  they  were  used  for. 
Two  of  these  rooms  had  the  sides  lined  with  a  sort  of  mosaic  of  green- 
glazed  tiles  incrusted  on  a  backing  of  stucco,  and  the  ceilings  ornamented 
with  stars  on  a  blue  ground.  On  the  floor  lay  vases  of  alabaster, 
marble,  pieces  of  pottery,  a  skull,  and  gilded  soles  of  feet.  These 
objects,  collected  to  be  sent  to  a  museum  in  Europe,  met  with  the 
same  fate  as  the  sarcophagus  of  Mycerinus,  which  went  to  the  bottom 
with  the  vessel  that  carried  it. 

"  As  to  the  sacred  lake  of  which  the  Greek  writers  speak,  the  green 
fields  that  they  place  between  the  jjyramid  and  the  Libyan  desert, 
where  rose  the  temple  of  Hecate,  where  one  saw  the  famous  statue 
of  Justice  without  a  head,  the  gates  of  Cocytus  and  of  Truth,  and  a 
number  of  other  edifices,  there  is  not  the  slightest  vestige. 

"  Must  we  regret  that  there  remains  nothing  of  such  a  bewitching 
spot,  or  should  we  consider  this  luxuriant  description  a  fresh  proof  of 
the  exuberant  imagination  of  the  Hellenes  ?  I  leave  to  others  the  task 
of  settling  the  question." 

"  They  are  to  be  heard  with  caution  then,  these  Greeks  whom  you 
so  greatly  admire.  Doctor  ?  "  said  Ondsime  ;  "  for  you,  in  the  face  of 
such  a  precise  afiirmation  of  their  manuscripts,  you,  the  man  of 
h}-pothesis,  not  to  risk  one  on  the  existence  of  this  Eden  replaced  by 
an  ocean  of  sand.  Decidedly  the  Greeks  were  nothing  but  frightful 
babblers." 

"  Yes,  but  they  babbled  so  wittily  that  one  almost  pardons  them 
their  freedom  in  regard  to  truth.  Tliere  are  so  many  people  who  say 
true  things  so  stupidly  that  they  make  themselves  ridiculous." 

"  If  our  learned  man  in  •  us  '  of  the  German  universities  were  here 
he  could  take  that  for  himself.  Wasn't  the  compilation  that  he  made 
us  swallow  terribly  indigestible  ?  " 

''  But  what  is  that  mass  of  ruins  over  there  ?  Is  it  a  pyramid 
fallen  in.  Monsieur  K^radec  ?  " 

"  It  is  the  mastaba  of  El-Pharaoun,  the  throne  of  Pharaoh,  an 


THE  MASTABA  OF  EL-PHARAOUN.  247 

unfinished  pyramid.  It  is  little  better  than  a  monnd  of  ruins.  It  is 
necessary  to  guess  that  there  has  been  a  monument  there.  The 
rectangular  base  is  correctly  set  towards  the  East.  Marietta  was  the 
first  to  penetrate  within  it.  It  contained  a  royal  sepulchre,  that  of 
King  Ounas  of  the  fifth  dynasty." 

They  get  on  the  donkeys  again.  Onesime  grumbles,  and  with 
difficulty  avoids  falling  off  his  ass,  which  stumbles  and  slips  at  each 
step.  Hassan  laughs  on  the  sly  at  the  sight  of  the  despairing  efforts 
of  his  master,  and  does  not  lose  sight  of  him,  in  order,  in  case  of  need, 
to  rectify  too  exaggerated  a  deviation  from  a  vertical  position. 

Passing  before  the  enormous  mass,  Jacques  calls  the  Doctor's 
attention  to  the  rubbish  strewn  on  the  2:rouud. 


The  Mastaba  of  El-Phamoun. 

"The  top  is  also  covered  ;  that,  coupled  with  some  blocks  in 
position,  might  be  considered  sufficient  to  show  that  the  pyramid  had 
been  completed,  and  that  the  upper  part  had  fallen  in." 

In  a  quarter  of  an  hour  they  reach  the  tomb  of  Ti.  Leaving  their 
asses,  to  the  great  relief  of  Onesime,  delighted  to  stretch  his  legs  a  bit, 
they  descend  the  path  traced  in  the  sand  on  a  gentle  slope,  which 
takes  them  to  the  entrance  of  the  mausoleum.  On  the  pillars  of  the 
doorway  stands  out  the  figure,  engraved  in  relief,  of  Ti,  leaning  on 
his  stick  of  command  ;  inscriptions  give  his  name  and  titles. 

"  We  shall  find  on  these  walls,"  said  Keradec,  "  all  the  details  of 
his  words  and  deeds." 

"  But  these  people,  then,  have  always  the  stick  in  the  hand  ? " 
asks  Onesime. 


248  THE  LAND  OF  THE  SPHINX. 

"  Yes,"  answers  Jacques,  "  aud,  yon  see,  nothing  changes  in  the  main 


r^.  MO 


The  dance  of  the  stick. 


in  the  valley  of  the  Nile.     The  proceeding  does  not  vary,  if  the  j^eople 
are  different.     Pharaohs,  Hyksos,  Persians,  Greeks,  Romans,  Arabs, 


THE    TOMB    OF    TI.  249 

Mamelukes,  French — all  have  flogged  the  fellah.  He  has  always  beut 
the  spine  ;  yon  wonld  say  that  his  back  was  made  for  the  stick,  and 
TAce  versa  ;  that  there  is  an  agreement  between  the  two  jmrties. 
Under  the  Pharaohs  they  even  kept  the  feast  of  the  scourge,  and  the 
stick  dance  of  the  present  day  is  but  a  souvenir  of  that  festival.  The 
sons  of  Osiris  have  got  accustomed  to  it,  and  are  no  sadder  for  that. 
Habit  becomes  a  second  nature,  by  atavism  especially." 

"  Flogged  and  satisfied,  and  perhaps  something  else  also,  as  in  the 
story  of  La  Fontaine.     A  strange  people  all  the  same  I " 

"  Bah  !  The  stick  is  somewhat  the  master  in  all  countries," 
continued  Jacques.     "The  policemen  knock  Jolin  Bull's  head  about^ 


Tomb  of  Ti. 

in  England,  when  he  is  refractory,  and  Bobby  has  neither  a  tender 
heart  nor  tender  hands  ;  Brother  Jonathan  in  America  does  likewise  ; 
the  Prussian  officers  break  their  canes  over  the  heads  of  their  sub- 
ordinates, they  are  so  thick  I  Austria  copies  Germany.  In  Russia  they 
have  the  knout  ;  it  is  the  courbash  of  the  North." 

"  And  in  France  ?  " 

"  In  France  only  marshals  receive  the  stick  or  baton,  and  if  an 
entire  lifetime,  of  which  the  years  are  marked  1)y  brilliant  actions,  can 
make  them  worthy  of  such  an  honour,  faith  I  they  have  not  had  it 
bestowed  on  them  for  nothing." 

"  Let  us  go  now  to  the  tomb  of  Ti,  and  see  what  is  said  of  this- 
original  individual." 


250 


THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 


"  He  will  liiinself  give  iis  all  the  information,  Monsieur  On^sime." 
"Himself?" 

"  At  least,  his  scribes  have  taken  the  precaution  of  doing  it  for 
him.  You  see  all  this  series  of  bas-reliefs  ;  it  is  a  correct  passport, 
a  biography  on  stone,  and  with  illustrations  !      The   entire   life   of 

the  man  is  written  there. 

"  He  commences  by  telling  us  that  he 
has  served  under  three  Pharaohs,  that  he 
was  their  intimate,  secret  adviser,  chief  of 
the  writings,  and,  moreover,  invested  with 
a  high  sacerdotal  dignity,  that  of  com- 
mander of  the  prophets." 

"  Is  that  all  ?  He  was  a  little  bit  of 
an  accumulator,  this  gentleman." 

"  He  was  married  to  a  Princess  of 
royal  blood,  Nefer-Hotep ;  he  terms  her 
'  darling  wife,'  'palm  of  love  for  her  hus- 
band.'" 

"  How  gallant  they  were,  those  Egyp- 
tian monsters  !  Why  not  call  her  a 
sugar-plum,  a  lollipop  ?  But  these  com- 
mencements of  centuries  were  very  similar 
to  our  ends  of  centuries  ;  it's  just  like  our 
'  souvenirs  and  regrets  '  of  Pere  Lachaise." 
"  Man  is  always  man,  my  dear  On^- 
sime :  a  composition  of  some  middling 
virtues,  acquired  with  difficulty,  and 
clumsily  plastered  on  our  individuality, 
and  of  a  host  of  solid  vices  inherent  in  our  nature. 

"  Virtue  is  an  object  of  luxury,  taxable  like  dogs  ;  it  is  a  rare 
flower,  delicate,  fragile — a  greenhouse  plant  that  grows  slowly,  requires 
a  great  deal  of  care,  and  which  the  least  draught  may  kill.  They 
endeavour  in  vain  to  acclimatise  it  in  man.  It  vegetates,  languishes, 
and  dies. 

''  Vice  possesses  a  vitality  that  is  hard  ;    it  is  a  vivacious  and 


statue  of  Ti. 


HOW  WE  RETURN  TO  THE  AGE  OF  POLISHED  STONE.    251 

resisting  plant.  Born  with  man,  it  grows  vigoronsly  and  in  all 
latitudes,  like  the  Jew,  and  is  so  deeply  rooted  in  us  that  it  will  never 
he  torn  out. 

"  Between  the  dweller  in  caves  of  pre-historic  times,  and  Jiim  who 
lives  on  the  Boulevards  at  the  present  day,  the  man  of  Cro-magnon 
and  him  of  Montmartre,  there  is  as  much  difference  as  between  a  bear's 
skin  and  an  overcoat,  a  flint  axe  and  a  repeating  rifle — that  is  all  ! 
The  same  goods  under  another  flag.  Instincts  and  appetites  have  not 
varied.  The  law  of  the  strongest  is  still  the  law  of  the  human 
species,  one  half  of  which  is  always  seeking  to  destroy  the  other. 
The  only  variation  is  that  we  do  not  devour  oar  prisoners.  It  was  the 
excuse  of  our  cannibal  ancestors  that  they  fought  to  fill  their  larders, 
whereas  we  fight  for  the  sake  of  fighting,  stupidly  ;  and  after  the 
victory,  we  do  not  know  what  to  do  with  our  laurels  ;  we  cannot  even 
make  a  sauce  of  them,  to  serve  up  with  the  vanquished." 

"  That's  true,  and  we  return  to  our  point  of  departure,  in  spite  of 
our  discoveries,  our  progress  of  all  sorts,  and  what  we  term  our 
civilisation.  Monsieur  Onesime." 

"  What !  to  the  age  of  stone  implements,  to  the  man  of  Solutr^, 
the  contemporary  of  the  mammoth  and  the  great  bear  !  " 

"  Perhaps  !  Man's  head  becomes  smaller  every  day,  his  muscles 
and  chest  enlarge ;  animal  strength  develops  at  the  expense  of  the 
brain,  which  diminishes  in  proportion.  They  wanted  to  load  it  too 
much  ;  it  has  acted  like  the  camel,  it  refuses  to  advance.'' 

"  Then  ?  " 

"  Then  we  reverse  the  machine.  Nature  turns  us  out  to  grass 
again.  She  had  bestowed  on  us  a  splendid  gift,  intelligence  ;  we 
have  not  known  how  to  make  use  of  it ;  we  have  done  nothing  but 
stupidity  ;  she  withdraws  it  :  she  is  right." 

"  But  steam,  electricity,  are  they  nothing  ?  " 

"  No  !  Not  while  one  half  of  the  world  lives  on  the  other  half,  wliile 
it  is  possible  for  a  man  to  die  of  hunger  witli  heaps  of  food  before  him." 

"  Monsieur  Keradec,  you  become  lugubrious  ;  the  air  of  this  tomb 
is  dangerous,  let  us  hurry  over  it  ;  1  would  prefer  you  to  talk  to  me 
of  Ti." 


252  THE  LAND  OF  THE  SPHINX. 

"  Willingly,  it  will  be  more  interesting.  Let  ns  enter  the  apart- 
ments of  Pharaoh's  intimate.  The  pillars  of  this  court  must  have 
formerly  supported  a  peristyle,  of  which  no  trace  remains.  But 
observe  these  walls  of  beautiful  calcareous  stone  of  fine  and  compact 
o-rain  ;  how  delicately  they  have  been  adorned  !  The  scenes  depicted 
thereon,  enriched  by  colour,  are  strikingly  true.  A¥hat  delicacy  in 
the  lines  of  these  bas-reliefs,  yet  so  boldly  scooped  out  ;  how  sure  the 
hand !  What  suppleness  in  the  execution  !  and  what  a  sense  of  truth 
and  observation,  in  spite  of  the  intentional  suppression  of  details  ! 

"  Built  partly  during  the  lifetime,  and  partly  after  the  death  of 
the  person,  this  tomb  gives  us  the  best  possible  insight  into  the  life 
of  the  Egyptians  of  that  period." 

Jacques  is  astonished.  Ondsime,  even,  is  interested  in  all  these 
naive,  gay  scenes  above  all,  scenes  that  have  been  lived. 

"  Here,"  explains  the  Doctor,  "are  statues  of  our  dignitary  ;  they 
are  placing  them  in  boats,  which  carry  them  to  the  tomb  he  has 
chosen  ;  one  of  the  bullocks  destined  to  the  sacrifice  is  seized,  bound 
by  the  feet,  and  the  servants  are  making  ready  to  slaughter  it.  There, 
it  is  Ti  himself,  with  his  wife  and  children,  overlooking  the  work  of 
his  people — some  are  loading  sacks,  others  stufi"  poultry  with  paste 
balls  ;  farther  on  it  is  the  farm  and  its  dependencies — meadows  where 
bullocks  browse,  pools  where  ducks  dabble,  flocks  of  geese,  flights  of 
pigeons,  and  a  quantity  of  other  birds  of  various  kinds  ;  there  are 
even  gazelles  and  antelopes. 

''  We  cannot  pay  a  visit  to  the  well,  completely  stopfjed  up,  leading 
to  the  sarcophagus,  the  entrance  to  which  is  here,  in  the  centre  of  this 
court.  This  passage  has  the  peculiarity,  which  must  be  noted,  of 
being  on  a  slope  instead  of  vertical. 

"  Let  us  now  take  this  corridor  at  the  angle  of  the  court.  The 
different  pictures  that  succeed  each  other  on  the  sides  represent  the 
passage  of  the  defunct  into  the  other  life.  First  of  all  it  is  the  carrying 
of  acacia  and  ebonj'-wood  statues,  the  writing  explains  ;  groups  of 
musicians  and  dancers,  bullocks  that  are  to  be  slaughtered  in  sacrifice, 
servants  bearing  funeral  gifts,  baskets  of  flowers,  dishes,  salvers 
loaded  with  vases  ;    then  it's  the  Nile  with  boats  under  sail,  others 


DIGRESSIONS    ON    EGYPTIAN    ART.  253 

containing  the  body  of  Ti  and  the  funeral  gifts,  propelled  by  manv 
oarsmen. 

"  Here  we  are  at  the  end  of  the  passage,  at  the  door  of  the  principal 
room.  Let  us  enter.  What  a  variety  of  subjects  I  What  life  !  What 
movement  in  all  these  representations  I 

"  Observe  this  vessel  in  dock,  this  action  of  ploughing,  these  oxen 
treading  out  the  corn,  others  passing  a  ford  conducted  by  a  drovei-, 
these  games  on  the  water,  these  fish  from  which  they  are  scraping  the 
scales  and  are  preparing.  Here  are  acrobats,  harpers,  wild  beasts 
being  removed  in  cages.  We  find  Ti  hunting  in  his  boat ;  in  the 
middle  of  the  marsh  he  holds  a  bird-call,  and  throws  at  the  aquatic 
birds  a  curved  stick,  a  sort  of  boomerang,  similar  to  what  the  natives 
of  Australia  use.  Crocodiles  and  hippopotami  are  hiding  in  the  reeds  ; 
an  attendant  harpoons  one  of  the  latter,  and  beside  him  a  crocodile  is 
struggling  with  another  hippopotamus. 

"  There  are  troops  of  women  with  kouftas  on  their  heads  containing 
fruit,  vegetables,  wine,  birds,  animals.  More  sylvan  scenes,  and  always 
Ti  with  his  stick. 

"  There  are  painters — like  you,  Monsieur  Jacques — sculptors ;  then 
tanners,  shoemakers,  glass-blowers,  and  others.  All  Egypt  passes 
here. 

"  On  this  western  side,  before  these  two  false  doors,  were  the  statnes 
of  Ti  and  his  wife  :  you  will  find  them  at  the  Boulak  Museum. 

"  Now  what  do  you  think  of  your  brother-artists  of  the  time  of  Ti  ?  " 

"  I  think  them  wonderful,  and  if  they  had  not  been  condemned  by 
an  inflexible  theocratical  government  to  a  defined,  unalterable  formula, 
compelling  them  to  be  ever  recopying  themselves,  they  would  certainly 
have  given  us  other  masterpieces  of  exceptional  originality. 

"  In  their  animal  paintings  there  is  a  vast  amount  of  observation 
and  truth.  The  execution  is  at  once  summary  and  admirably 
executed. 

"  The  suppression  of  details,  the  accentuation  of  special  charac- 
teristics ;  the  firm,  elegant  delineation,  where  the  line  is  ir- 
reproachably correct  and  elastic,  give  a  particular  cachet  to  their 
work,  never  to  be  forgotten. 


254  THE  LAND  OF  THE  SPHINX. 

"  In  representing  human  beings,  their  sculpture  is  less  free  ;  one 
feels  that  the  priest  has  forced  the  hand  of  the  artist,  has  traced  him 
out  a  line,  from  which  he  must  never  deviate.  The  form  displayed 
•with  exaggerated  conciseness  and  absolute  disdain  of  detail,  the 
conventional  stiffness  of  the  lines,  the  similitude  in  the  fixed,  majestic 
attitudes,  the  identical  expression  of  the  physiognomies,  their  in- 
tended symmetry,  envelop  Egyptian  art  in  a  sort  of  mystic  veil,  which 
weighs  upon  the  imagination  and  fatigues  it. 

"  The  imposing  severity  of  the  lines  is  hardly  sufficient  to  excuse 
their  stiffness  ;  the  serenity  of  the  faces  does  not  compensate  for  the 
vague  fixedness  of  those  uniform  visages  ;  finally,  those  sought-out 
attitudes  of  eternal  repose,  immobilising  the  gesture  in  these 
colossi,  beset  you  like  something  contrary  to  nature.  It  would  be 
quite  a  crushing  monotony  were  it  not  so  highly  formulated." 

"You  are  right;  one  feels  that  the  artist  has  worked  in  prison, 
under  the  eye  and  at  the  instigation  of  a  sacred  scribe,  of  a  therapeuta, 
who  imposed  on  him,  along  with  a  unique,  hard,  and  stiff  formula  like 
his  own  monuments,  the  sacrifice  of  his  individuality,  stopi^iug  all 
initiative,  all  research,  all  progress,  ignoring  or  casting  from  him  all 
ideal,  petrifying  his  genius  in  a  definite,  immutable,  hieratic  mould." 

"  Go  on  !  "  said  On^sime  ;  "  your  manufacturers  of  stone  gods  were 
not  artists,  at  most  they  were  stone-masons.  Would  not  real  artists 
have  very  soon  sent  these  Mecfenas  of  the  vestr}'  to  Jericho  ?  Do  you 
think  genius  accepts  masters  or  inquires  its  way  ?  They  have  done 
that  because  they  had  only  that  in  them,  do  you  hear,  my  son  I  They 
were  copyists,  clever  in  caligraphy  and  nothing  more  ;  and  yourself, 
refractory  as  you  are  to  all  discipline,  abominable  canvas-dauber,  you 
would  make  a  fine  set-out  if  you  were  in  the  least  degree  obstructed  in 
your  ideas,  if  any  one  tried  to  put  a  break  to  the  mad  pranks  of  your 
brain. 

"  I  prefer  their  minor  painters  of  simple  subjects,  of  still  life. 
They  are  very  monotonous,  very  lugubrious,  with  their  everlasting 
mummies  in  boats,  their  gods  with  the  heads  of  animals,  and  all  the 
entanglement  of  their  allegories  and  hieroglyphics ;  but  still  they  are 
sometimes  funny,  one  meets  with  some  ludicrous  scenes  ;  it  produces 


BAS-KELIEFS    OF    THE    TOMB    OF    TI. 


255 


the  effect  of  a  burst  of  laughter  at  a  funeral,  but  it  is  amusing  :  this 
scene  of  the  payment  of  the  impost,  for  example,  representing  mayors, 
armed  with  the  stick  of  course,  bringing  the  ratepayers  within  their 
jurisdiction  before  scribes,  the  tax-collectors  of  the  period. 

"  One  sees  that  Jacques  Bonhomme,  in  all  countries,  has  always 
reluctantly  paid  his  money  and  received  blows,  and  that  the  poor  man 
must  have  his  loins  covered  with  callous  skin. 


Mariette's  house 


"  They  must  also  have  been  fond  of  good  fare,  judging  by  the  way 
in  which  they  delighted  in  representing  victuals. 

"  Just  look  at  that  goose :  isn't  it  plump  ?  Doesn't  it  provoke 
the  appetite  ?  What  round  legs  !  What  a  luxuriant  stomach  !  One 
could  almost  eat  it  I  "  And  On^sime  softly  felt  the  bas-relief  of  the 
bird,  and  his  pleasant  face  beamed  all  over. 

"  Were  they  truffled,  or  merely  filled  with  chestnuts  ?  "  he  asked 
apart. 

"  Only  with  little  onions,  my  friend.  It  was  the  vegetable  the 
Egyptians  preferred." 


256 


THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 


"  Their  god  !  "  added  Keradec. 

"  It  must  have  been  divinely  good." 

As  they  chatted,  they  left  the  mausoleum. 

"  If  you  lilce,"  said  the  Doctor,  "  we  will  go  and  rest  in  Mariette's 
house,  at  two  steps  from  here  ;  then  we  will  visit  the  Serapeum." 

After  a  short  walk  through  some  hillocks  of  sand,  fallen-in  tombs, 
from  which  a  bleached  bone,  a  mummy's  bandage,  the  carcass  of  a 
jackal,  occasionally  juts  out,  they  come  in  sight  of  the  little  house  that 
serves  Mariette  as  a  shelter. 

At  their  approach  an  old  Arab  with  a  white  beard  meets  them,  and 
conducts  them  under  the  large  verandah  preceding  the  house.  Two 
other  Arabs  offer  them  rush-bottomed  chairs,  filtered  water,  and, 
shortly  afterwards,  some  excellent  coffee.  The  donkey  boys  stretch 
themselves  out  near  their  animals,  Jacques  produces  his  pipe,  Onesime 
lights  a  cigar,  the  Doctor  rolls  a  cigarette. 


A  Bedouin  Canii 


CHAPTER  XII. 


Ghawazi  and  AwAlin. — Their  exile  to  Esneh. — Memphis. — Who  Menes  was. — 
Whence  came  the  Ancient  Egyptians  V — The  god  Phtah  and  his  temple. — The 
bull  Apis  and  the  honours  rendered  to  him. — Onesime  an  augur. — He  beats  all 
the  prophets  and  disentangles  the  oracles. — His  explanation  of  the  signs  of 
the  bull  Apis. — A  compromising  moonbeam. — On  sacrifices  and  the  victims. — 
Effect  of  the  sun. — Greatness  and  decline  of  the  city  of  Menes. — Mariette's 
discovery. — Jacques  and  Ke'radec  explore  the  Serapeum. — Onesime  reproaches 
them  with  troubling  by  their  noisy  visits  poor  mummies  who  only  want  to 
rest  in  peace. — A  breakneck  gallop  to  Bedrasheen  station. 

''  XT  is  extremely  nice  here,"  said  Ouesime,  who  was  sipping  his 
-^     coffee  astride  on  a  chair. 

''  It  only  needs  some  Ahuehs  and  singers  to  pass  a  delicious  after- 
noon beneath  the  shade  of  this  verandah." 

"  Faith  I  they  would  be  welcome  ;  we  have  seen  a  great  many 
things,  but  no  Almehs.  It's  a  gap,  a  serious  gap,  in  the  course  of  our 
studies  of  the  crude." 

'•  I  thought  you  were  disgusted  with  studies  of  life,  after  experience 
of  the  fellaheen,  male  and  female,  daring  our  journey  from  Alexandria 
to  Cairo." 

"  Ah  I  yes,  I  have  had  enough  of  those  creatures,  but  the  Almehs  1 
By  Jove  !  that's  another  matter "  ;  and  Onesime  stroked  his  beard 
conceitedly  and  tried  to  look  bewitching. 

267  17 


258 


THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 


"  Yon  must  wait  until  yon  are  at  Esneh,  Monsienr  Onesime,  to 
find  the  dancers,  in  Arabic,  Ghdicazi^  and  singers,  Aivdlin,  which  is 
the  phiral  of  Almeh  ;  and  I  am  afraid  that  when  yon  see  them  yon 

will  exjierience  bitter  deception." 

"  "What  !  Doctor  !  the  Almehs — excnse 
mo,  the  Awaliu  in  the  plnral  ;  that's  it,  is 
it  not?" 

"  The  Awalin  are  the  singers." 
"  I  refer  to  the  dancers,  the — what  do  yon 
call  them  ?  " 
"  Ghawazi." 

"  Yes,  that's  it,  the  Ghawazi :  are  they 
falling  into  decay  ?  " 

"  Alas  !     Yes.     Like  the  Phara- 


;:^.  onic  monuments,  the  Arab  mosqnes; 
like  evervthiusf  here  bnt  the  Nile  and 


the  fellaheen." 

"  They  are  irremovable,  like  the 
Senators.'" 

"  Y^'es,  and  inalienable  and  unat- 
tachable,  like  the  inheritance  of  a  minor  or 
sequestrated  property.  Abbas  Pacha,  under 
the  pressure  of  the  Mussulman  clergy,  drove 
them  out  of  Cairo  and  relegated  them  to 
Esneh." 

"  Oh  I  those  priests  ;  they  must  always 
meddle  with  what  does  not  concern  them  ! " 
"  It  is  true  that  the  Princes,  the  high 
dignitaries,  the  rich,  mined  themselves  for 
them  in  a  mad  way." 
"  But  don't  they  ruin  themselves  at  home,  in  the  same  manner,  for 
Ghawazi  of  the  Opera,  who  are  much  less  interesting  and   quite   as 
costly,  if  not  more  so  ?  " 

"  That  may  be.     They  are  none  the  less  fallen  from  their  ancient 
splendour,  and  reduced  to  delight  the  people  of  Esneh  and  Cook  and 


Ghawazi  dancing  the  dance  of  the 
wasp. 


THE    GHAWAZI    AND    AWALIN.  259 

Son's  tourists.  Yon  will  see  them  there  dressed  in  long  gowns,  the 
"bosom  covered  with  seqnins,  the  hair  plaited  in  a  row  of  long  thin 
tresses,  intoxicated  with  vermouth,  in  a  filthy  den,  lit  up  by  candles 
fixed  in  the  necks  of  empty  bottles.  On  a  mat  spread  out  over  the 
beaten  earth,  to  the  accompaniment  of  rebecks  and  daraboukas,  they 
will  perform  before  you,  for  a  large  baksheesh,  three-quarters  of  which 
will  be  taken  by  the  dragoman,  the  dance  of  the  wasp,  or  even  of  the 
sword.  There  is  a  certain  symmetry  in  their  evolutions,  consisting  at 
times  in  lascivious  undulations,  in  voluptuous  movements  of  the  hips, 
now  abrupt  and  jerky,  now  very  lithe,  very  soft,  accentuated  at 
moments  by  a  prolonged  trepidation  at  the  lower  part  of  the 
loins,  and  scanned  by  the  sound  of  the  crotali  which  they  hold 
above  them  in  their  hands,  while  the  bust  and  legs  are  as  motionless 
iis  in  a  statue.  It  is  quite  the  vibrabiint  sine  Jim,  prurientes  lascicos 
docili  tremore  lumbos  of  the  daughters  of  Gades  in  the  epigrams  of 
Martial." 

"  It's  simply  what  we  call  in  Paris  the  danse  dii  ventre  ?  " 

"  Nothing  else  ;  and,  besides,  either  of  the  three  Consuls  at  Luxor 
would  take  a  pleasure  in  arranging  for  you  to  be  present  at  one  of 
these  little  fetes.  For  women  of  this  sort  are  also  to  be  found  at 
Luxor  and  in  certain  other  towns  of  Upper  Egypt." 

"  The  Consuls  !  " 

"  Yes,  the  English,  French,  German — Arabs,  naturally.  They  will 
have  no  scruj)le,  either,  in  selling  you  false  beetles,  mummies,  stela?, 
manufactured  by  themselves  or  under  their  direction  ;  and  their  brats, 
who  run  about  the  room,  will  thankfully  accept  any  baksheesh  you  like 
to  ofi'er  them." 

"  That's  rather  nice,  that." 

"  Bah  ! "  said  Jacques,  "  at  home  baksheesh  is  called  a  tip,  drink 
money,  or  so  ;  the  diflerence  between  them  and  us  is  that  we  have 
several  words  to  express  the  thing,  and  they  have  only  one.  A  matter 
of  language." 

"  And  your  Serapeum,  to  return  to  your  frightful  Pharaohs,"  asked 
Onesime,  "is  it  very  far ?  " 

"  Two  steps." 


260 


THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 


"  All  !  So  much  the  Letter  I  These  marches  and  coimter-marches- 
through  mummies'  bones,  broken  jars,  dirty  linen,  and  a  lot  of  old 
things  that  have  fallen  in,  on  a  donkey  that  stumbles  at  every  step,, 
are  fatiguing  and  not  at  all  gay.  Here,  in  the  shade  of  this  verandah, 
one  at  least  breathes.  And  so  those  are  the  ruins  of  Memphis  ?  "  he 
remarked,  waving  his  hand  towards  the  desert. 

"  Alas  !  Yes,  Monsieur  On^sime,  and  yet  God  knows  what  an 
immense  site  Memphis  occupied,  the  first,  the  most  celebrated,  the 
largest  city  of  antiquity. 

"  It  extended  from  east  to  west  over  the  entire  space  comprised 


The  Nile  and  the  Pyramids. 


between  the  Nile  and  the  Libyan  desert  ;   the  pyramids  of  Ghizeh 
bounded  it  on  the  north,  and  those  of  Dashour  on  the  south. 

"  Herodotus  attributes  the  foundation  of  it  to  Menes,  the  first 
monarch  after  the  age  of  fable.  On  the  ruins  of  the  theocratic  system 
whicn  he  had  just  overthrown,  he  established  military  government  and 
absolute  and  unique  royalty.  He  diverted  the  course  of  the  Nile  to 
increase  the  area  of  the  city,  had  a  gigantic  dyke  built,  the  W/iiie  Wally 
the  Dam  of  Kosheish  of  the  present  day,  to  secure  it  against  inundation 
and  attacks  of  the  enemy,  raised  temples  to  the  gods  and  regulated 
their  worship,  suppressing  the  privileges  of  the  priests  of  Heliopolis, 
who  were  then  all-powerful.  The  latter  avenged  themselves  by  having" 
him  devoured  by  a  hippopotamus  at  the  age  of  sixty." 


WHENCE    CAME    THE    ANCIENT    EGYPTIANS  ?  261 

"A  priestly  vengeance!  But,  Doctor,  wliere  on  earth  did  this 
Menes  come  from,  this  happy  soldier  who,  all  at  once,  five  thousand 
years  before  Jesus  Christ,  makes  his  appearance  from  no  one  knows 
where,  raises  by  a  wave  of  his  wand  an  entire  city  with  monuments 
and  after  victory  suddenly  becomes  architect  and  legislator  for  o-ods 
and  men.  A  people  at  the  commencement  generally  throw  out  feelers 
and  it  is  hard  to  believe  that  they  accomplished  such  a  prodio-v,  all  at 
once,  and  at  such  a  remote  i)eriod." 

"  You  forget  that  Menes  did  not  find  a  nation  in  an  embryo  state 
but  a  civilisation  already  old,  a  theocratic    government  firmlv   esta- 
blished, and  merely  substituted  his  authority  for  that  f)f  the  priests 
while  continuing  their  work.     That  is  the  story  related  to  Herodotus 
by  the  priests  of  Phtah." 

"  But  you  cannot  believe  what  those  hierophants,  as  clever  as  old 
monkeys,  said ! " 

"  One  may  suppose  that,  for  several  thousands  of  years  before 
Menes,  the  Egyptians,  isolated  from  the  rest  of  mankind  by  the 
•desert,  which  was  diflicult  to  cross,  and  by  the  sea,  which  was  an 
impenetrable  barrier,  also  having  the  advantages  of  an  exceptional 
-climate,  of  a  valley  of  remarkable  fertility,  thanks  to  the  regular 
inundations  of  a  river  unique  on  the  face  of  the  globe,  sheltered  from 
want,  from  intemperate  weather,  from  warfare,  must  have  developed 
more  rapidly  and  under  more  advantageous  circumstances  than  other 
nations  less  favoured  by  their  geographical  position." 

"  But  of  what  race  were  these  Egyj)tians  ?  " 

"  Perhaps  a  branch  detached  from  a  red  race  of  the  plateau  of  the 
Himalayas,  who,  previous  to  their  migration,  had  already  mingled 
with  a  white  race.  This  mixed  people,  at  an  unknown  period,  perhaps 
-crossed  the  Isthmus  of  Suez  and  established  themselves  on  the  banks 
of  the  Nile,  where  they  may  have  found  negro  tribes,  whom  they 
reduced  to  slavery,  already  installed  here.  The  Copts  are  supposed 
to  be  the  descendants  of  this  first  invasion. 

"  A  third  cross  was  produced  by  the  conquered  contributing  a  little 
negro  blood  to  the  red  and  white.  This  threefold  mixture,  increased 
by  successive  doses,  in  une<pial  proportions,  of  those  three  races,  by 


262  THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 

iutiltratioii  as  in  the  case  of  the  Hebrews,  by  invasions  as  in  that  of 
the  Hyksos,  must,  in  a  few  years,  have  kneaded  all  these  groups  into 
one  type,  and  have  definitely  constituted  the  Egyptian  race." 

"  And  Menes  was  ?  " 

"A  white  barbarian,  a  Scyth,  a  Tamahou,  come  from  the  North, 
with  a  horde  of  warriors,  who  burst  into  the  peaceful  and  religious 
valley  of  the  Nile,  and  seized,  as  later  on  the  Hyksos  conquered  by 
force,  a  country  whose  civilisation  he  adopted  instead  of  destroying  it. 

"  The  syllable  Ker,  essentially  Celtic,  which  you  find  stuck  on  to 
the  names  of  several  kings  of  different  dynasties,  is  a  certain  indica- 
tion of  the  Aryan  origin  of  the  conquerors  Nekheropis,  Nephekera,. 
Kerpheres,  Seberkheres." 

"  Ker-adec,  then,  Doctor !  There  are  your  ancestors  become 
conquerors  of  Egypt.  I  can  understand  now  your  great  love  for  tlie 
Pharaohs.     You  are  their  cousin." 

"  And  you  also,  Monsieur  Coquillard,  for  you  are  of  the  family,  a 
Celt  also." 

"  Crossed  with  a  negro,"  said  Jacques.  "  There  must  have  been 
some  gri-gri  of  the  Congo  among  your  ancestors." 

"  And  you,  you  ill-licked  cub,"  replied  Onesime,  "  some  Northern 
boar  with  red  hair  of  the  genus  li.onio  rufus  hjperborealis,  some 
laggard  of  the  invasion  forgotten  in  France." 

"  You  both  come  from  the  same  race,"  said  the  Doctor,  laughing,, 
amused  at  the  frequent  tussles  between  the  two  friends.  "  Monsieur 
Onesime  is  of  the  brown  Celtic  branch,  the  most  ancient  Aryan  horde 
that  emigrated  to  Europe.  You,  Monsieur  Jacques,  are  of  the 
second  horde,  the  fair  branch.     You  are  a  pure  Gaul." 

"  Like  Menes,  who,  no  doubt,  brought  a  god  with  him  which  he 
acclimatised  in  Egypt." 

"  He  was  satisfied  with  the  one  he  found  there,  the  god  Phtah,  to 
whom  he  raised  a  temple,  which  was  enlarged  and  enriched  suc- 
cessively under  all  the  Pharaohs. 

"  This  was  the  most  ancient  god  of  Egypt,  '  Primitive  fire,'  the 
*  Father  of  the  Sun.'  He  afterwards  became  the  Hephaestus  of  the 
Greeks,  the  Vulcan  of  the  Romans." 


THE    GOD    PHTAH. 


263 


"  Did  Menes  leave  descendants  ?  " 

"  No,  lie  lost  his  only  son.  In  reference  to  this  subject  the  people 
composed  a  song  of  mourning,  the  '  Maneros,'  which  was  transmitted 
from  century  to  century." 

"In  Egypt,  as  in  France, 
all  ends  by  song." 

"  "When  they  sang  it  they 
placed  a  death's-head  on  the 
table." 

"  Those  people  always  had 
an  undertaker's  gaiet}'." 

"  Phtah,  the  demiurgos,  the 
cahiric  artisan,  passed  as  the 
creator  of  worlds, '  the  Originator 
of  all '  ;  he  was  termed  '  the 
Opener,'  because  he  had  broken 
the  ^%g  from  which  the  sun  and 
moon  issued.  Under  the  name 
of  Phtah-Sokar-Osiris,  he  was 
the  protector  of  the  Necropolis 
of  Memphis,  and  the  word 
Sakarah  is  merely  a  corruption 
of  his  name  Sokar-Osiris.  It 
was  he  who  gave  the  sun  that 
had  set  the  power  to  re-appear, 
the  dead  that  of  resurrection." 

"  A  sort  of  precursor  of 
Jove." 

''  The  bull  Apis,  the  animal 
that  was  consecrated  to  him, 
was  treated  with  particular  care  :  he  resided  in  the  temple,  reposed 
behind  magnificently  worked  drapery,  embroidered  with  gold  and 
ornamented  with  precious  stones,  on  a  carefully  selected  litter.  They 
gave  him  a  mash  of  fine  barley  flour  and  peeled  wheat,  milk,  pastry 
prepared  with  honey  I     They  spoilt  him  in  every  way. 


The  god  Phtah. 


264 


THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 


"  He  had  liis  liarem  of  cows." 

"  The  happy  rascal  I  " 

"  His  mother,  the  cow  that  had  dropped  him,  was  no  more  taken 
to  the  bull,  and  shared,  in  a  measure,  the  honours  of  which  he  was  the 
object ;  she  had  her  stall  and  her  private  attendants." 

"  And  what,  apart  from  the  sweet  occupation  of  allowing  himself  to 
be  adored,  were  the  duties  of  this  worthy  bull  ?     For  I  suppose  that 


The  bull  Apis. 


these  honourable  Egyptians  did  not  entertain  him  so  plentifully  to  do 
nothing." 

"  He  delivered  oracles,  for  he  possessed  the  power  of  seeing  into 
the  future.  Thus  it  was  considered  a  favourable  omen  when  he  came 
and  ate  the  food  that  was  offered  him  in  the  hand.  Those  who 
consnlted  liim  previously  burned  incense  before  the  window  looking  on 
to  the  yard  where  he  was  let  loose  at  certain  liours,  placed  on  the 
altar  a  piece  of  money,  and  filled  the  lami)s  with  oil ;  then,  approaching 


THE  BULL  APIS  AND  THE  HONOURS  RENDERED  TO  HIM.   265 

tlieir  mouth  to  the  bull's  ear,  they  (luestioned  him  on  the  matters  that 
interested  them  ;  tlien,  stopping  up  their  ears  immediately,  and 
keeping  them  so  until  they  were  out  of  the  temple,  the  first  words 
that  they  heard  when  they  were  once  in  the  street  were  considered  to 
be  the  oracle's  answer,  and,  as  such,  were  received  with  respect." 

"  It  was  rather  an  original  style  of  answer,  but  very  elastic  and 
passably  intricate.  Was  not  his  worthy  brother  of  Heliopolis,  the 
bull  Mnevis,  less  complicated  in  his  manner  of  proceeding  ?  " 

"  He  acted  in  the  same  way,  as  also  did  the  bull  Onuphis  of 
Hermonthis." 

"  These  fat  prebendaries  were  everywhere  then  ?  " 

"  There  were  only  those  three,  but  Apis,  adored  throughout  Egypt, 
was  more  popular  than  his  rivals.  Onuphis,  however,  was  not  to  be 
disdained.  Macrobius  relates  marvels  of  him  ;  his  coat,  it  seems, 
grew  the  wrong  way,  and  changed  colour  every  hour." 

"  He  must  have  astounded  his  parishioners,  that  chameleon  !  " 

"  The  inauguration  of  the  kings  took  place  in  the  temple  of  the 
bull  Apis." 

"  This  Memphis  was  the  Rheims  of  the  Nile,  then  ;  the  anointed 
of  the  Lord  was  consecrated  there." 

"  With  a  little  ceremony  that  was  not  without  interest :  they 
placed  the  yoke  of  Apis  on  the  king's  shoulders,  and  he  had  to  pass 
down  the  street  with  this  inconvenient  apparatus." 

"  They  cruelly  avenged  themselves  for  this  affront,  the  scoundrels 
of  kings,  by  making  their  subjects,  those  condemned  to  the  pyramids 
for  life,  carry  a  heavier  yoke." 

"  The  office  of  Holy  Bull  was  doubtless  hereditary  in  the  family  of 
these  lazy  oracles.     They  must  have  formed  a  stock  of  Apis  ?  " 

"  Not  at  all.  It  was  not  every  member  of  the  bovine  race  that 
had  the  chance  of  becoming  Apis  :  the  aspirant  to  this  title  had  to 
unite  certain  special  and  clearly  defined  characteristics.  They  numbered 
twenty-nine." 

"  And  these  signs  were  ?  " 

"  He  was  first  of  all  recognised  by  his  coat." 

"  It  was  of  your  colour,"  remarked  Jacques. 


266  THE  LAND  OF  THE  SPHINX. 

"  His  hair  certainly,"  and  the  Doctor  smiled  as  he  looked  at 
On^sime,  "  had  to  be  black  :  on  the  forehead  there  must  be  a  white 
spot  of  a  triangular  form,  on  the  back  the  image  of  an  eagle,  on  the 
rio-ht  side  a  white  crescent,  under  the  tongue  a  wart  or  knot  in  the 
shape  of  a  beetle,  besides  important  secondary  signs." 

"  But  the  coat  of  that  animal  predicted  as  clearly  as  daylight  the 
destinies  of  Egypt." 

"  How  is  that  ?  " 

"  Oh  !  it's  very  simple  !  The  triangular  white  spot  indicates  the 
triumph  of  Christianity  and  the  overthrow  of  Osiris." 

"And  why  so?" 

"  I  am  ashamed  to  have  to  explain  it  to  you.  Is  not  the  triangle 
a  symbol  for  Christians,  that  of  the  Holy  Trinity  ?  " 

"  Agreed  !     But  its  white  colour  ?  " 

"  Are  not  Christians  Europeans,  consequently  white  ?  " 

"  Ah !  " 

"  The  crescent  signifies  unquestionably  the  arrival  of  the  con- 
quering Arabs.  Is  it  not  so  ?  The  eagle  on  the  back,  the  victorious 
eagles  of  Bonaparte,  the  expedition  to  Egypt,  the  French  who  fell 
on  the — backs  of  the  Egyptians.     One  must  be  blind  not  to  see  it." 

"  And  the  knot  ?  " 

"  The  knot  in  the  form  of  a  beetle,  also  !  That  completes  it.  For 
persons  who  decipher  hieroglyphics  currently,  your  hesitation  grieves 
me.  The  knot  is  an  emblem  of  slavery — prisoners  are  tied ;  the  beetle 
means  that  this  slavery  will  last  for  ever — beetle,  symbol  of  eternal 
duration." 

"  And  the  black  coat  of  Apis  ?  " 

"  But  you  are  more  obstinate,  more  incredulous,  now,  than  St. 
Thomas  !  It  was  the  mourning  worn  by  Apis  for  their  lost  liberties. 
Do  you  understand  now  ?  " 

Jacques  and  Keradcc  were  annihilated.  On^sime  assumed  in  their 
eyes  Olympian  proportions. 

"  That  is  not  all,  gentlemen,"  continued  the  latter;  "  Onuphis  also 
predicted  their  ruin  !  A  coat  with  hair  growing  the  wrong  way,  a 
sign  that  events  would  occur  which  would  make  their  hair  stand  on 


btieet  in  Caim. 


THE    SIGNS    OF    THE    BULL    APIS.  269 

end  ;  change  of  colour  every  hour,  a  way  of  saying  that  they  wouhl 
see  things  of  all  colours.  And  I  have  not  finished  I  Mnevis  ac- 
centuates the  predictions  of  his  two  colleagues.  His  gilded  horns  are 
the  Golden  Horn,  the  Bosphorus,  Constantinople — in  a  word,  the 
Turks  !     Bristling  hair,  confirmation  of  the  oracle  of  Apis. 

"  And  his  comrade,  moreover  I  The  lion  with  the  luminous  coat, 
the  gilded  claws !  Who  does  not  recognise  there  the  British  Lion, 
and  in  tlie  gilded  claws  the  cavalry  of  St.  George  settling  the  fate  of 
Egypt  at  Tel-el-Kehir  ?  Hey  1  isn't  that  smart  ?  Is  he  sufficiently 
trampled  on,  your  Commander  of  the  Prophets,  your  old  bonze  of 
a  Ti  :  " 

His  two  friends,  recovered  from  their  stupefaction,  burst  out  into 
a  mad  laugh,  in  which  Onesime  heartily  joined. 

"  I  told  you  your  great-great-grandfather  was  a  gri-gri,  a  sorcerer." 

"  A  sorcerer  might  pass,  but  not  one  in  ebony  wood.'' 

"  Ah  I  Monsieur  Onesime,  if  the  last  Apis  had  not  been  mummified 
long  since,  I  should  really  think " 

"  That  his  double  had  entered  your  skin." 

"  Thanks  for  the  compliment  ;  I  look  like  a  bull  then  ?  " 

"  Xo  ;  but  what  a  diviner  I  " 

"  Ah  I  that's  in  the  family,  my  friend  :  it  comes  of  itself,  without 
an  eftort,"  said  Onesime,  in  a  modest  tone.  "  It's  by  intuition,  I 
divine,  as  you  paint,  without  thinking  of  it  ;  it's  a  natural  gift.  But 
tell  me,  Doctor,  our  ceremony  of  the  procession  of  the  Fat  Ox  is, 
doubtless,  a  relic  of  the  Feast  of  Apis  ?  " 

"Yes,  but  we  are  much  less  exacting  towards  him  than  were  the 
Memphites. 

"  Under  a  republican  government,  my  friend,  there  are  no 
privileges,  even  for  animals;  every  ox  can  become  Apis,  as  every  soldier 
can  become  Marshal." 

"  Yes,  but  to  play  the  part  of  Apis  a  decent  abdomen  is  necessary." 

"  Like  yours." 

"  And  they  eat  the  ox,  anyhow,  instead  of  giving  him  to  eat." 

'•'  He  must  have  been  of  illustrious  birth,  this  creature  favoured  of 
the  gods  ?  "  inquired  Jacques. 


^10  THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 

"  He  was  bom  of  a  cow  rendered  fecnud  by  a  mooubeam." 

"  That  moonbeam  was  very  compromising  for  the  virtue  of  Madam 
Apis,  the  mother.  It  would  be  a  nice  question  of  divorce,  at  the  present 
■day,  this  indiscreet  interference  of  the  Divinity  in  private  life  result- 
ing in  a  series  of  unwished-for  and  unexpected  intruders  in  the  family 
life  of  poor  mortals." 

"  It's  the  privilege  of  the  gods  and  kings.  The  latter  also  had  the 
right  of  taking  certain  liberties,  as  in  the  middle  ages." 

"  He  was  the  symbol  of  the  constellation  of  the  Bull,"  continued 
Keradec.  "As  soon  as  the  ministers  of  the  cult  discovered  a  bull 
fulfilling  the  indispensable  conditions,  they  built  him  a  house  on  the 
spot,  the  doorway  facing  the  east,  and  for  four  months  they  fed  him 
on  milk.  "When  the  new  moon  appeared,  the  priests  came  to  see 
him,  and  greeted  him  with  a  particular  ceremonial  ;  a  gilded  vessel, 
provided  with  a  sumptuous  bed,  was  prepared  to  transport  him  to 
Memphis,  and  a  procession  of  priests  escorted  him. 

"  On  the  way  they  stopped  at  Nicopolis,  where  he  was  fed  on  choice 
food,  and  during  the  forty  days  that  he  remained  there,  only  women 
had  the  right  to  visit  him,  and  behaved  in  a  most  indecent  way." 

"  That  was  rather  naughty  on  the  part  of  a  people  who  prided 
themselves  on  having  invented  wisdom." 

"  From  there  he  was  taken  to  Memphis,  and  placed  in  a  delicious 
retreat,  in  the  midst  of  a  sacred  wood  close  to  the  temple. 

"  Near  at  hand,  in  an  elegant  chalet,  carefully  selected  heifers 
awaited  the  good  pleasure  of  their  lord  and  master. 

"  This  was  the  Little  Trianon,  the  Parc-aux-Cerfs,  of  the  redoubted 
bull  Apis  ;  it  was  quite  Regency  style.  In  the  evening  the  Sultan 
threw  the  handkerchief  to  her  whom  his  caprice  desired  to  make 
his  temporary  choice  companion  ;  in  the  daytime,  his  bovine  majesty 
had  his  great  and  small  levees,  gave  his  grand  audiences  to  the  public 
in  tlie  temple,  listening  to  the  complaints  of  his  subjects  and  then 
delivering  his  oracles.  This  was  a  royal  bull !  Louis  XV.  could 
not  have  done  better." 

"  Certain  authors,  however,  pretend  that  his  habits  were  better 
looked  after,   and  were  less   free,   that   he   had  a   more   respectable 


ON    SACRIFICES    AND    THE    VICTIMS.  271 

gyna3ceum,  tliat  he  was  a  monogamist  and  very  reserved  in  his  love 
aflairs,  only  sacrificing  once  a  year  to  them,  and  only  bestowing  his 
favours  on  a  single  heifer,  who  also  possessed  characteristic  exterior 
spots  which  jirocured  her  that  honour." 

'•  Then  he  was  less  of  a  libertine  than  they  made  him  out  to  be." 

"  When  he  went  out,  officers  escorted  him  to  keep  back  the  crowd, 
and  young  children  preceded  him  burning  incense,  throwing  flowers 
and  singing  verses  in  his  praise. 

"  They  sacrificed  bulls,  bullocks,  and  calves  to  him,  but  never  cows 
or  heifers,  which  were  sacred  to  Isis. 

"  These  had  to  be  pure,  that  is  to  say,  red,  without  a  black  or  white 
hair. 

"  To  the  sphragist  was  entrusted  the  care  of  examining  the  victim  ; 
this  done  and  found  satisfactory,  he  sealed  the  animal  by  marking  it 
with  the  imprint  of  a  man  on  his  knees,  the  hands  fastened  behind  the 
back  and  a  sword  on  his  throat.  It  was  then  placed  on  a  wood-pile  on 
the  altar  ;  the  fire  was  lighted,  and  after  having  poured  wine  over  the 
animal,  they  slaughtered  it.  Imprecations  were  cast  upon  its  head, 
which  was  cut  off,  and  Greeks  were  allowed  to  carry  it  away  if  they 
came  for  it.  If  not  it  was  thrown  into  the  Nile,  the  Egyj^tians  under 
no  circumstances  eating  the  head  of  any  animal." 

"  The  bullock  was  then  reduced  to  cinders  ?  " 

"  Xo,  indeed  I  Herodotus  tells  us  that  the  manner  of  burning  and 
cutting  up  the  victims  varied  with  the  species  of  animal. 

"  In  the  case  of  the  bullock  they  first  of  all  removed  the  inside  and 
threw  it  into  the  Nile.  The  feet,  the  neck,  the  shoulders  were  cut  off, 
the  inside  stufled  with  bread  and  honey  ;  raisins  and  figs  were  added; 
then  myrrh,  incense,  and  other  aromatics,  and  the  whole  was  sprinkled 
with  oil.  During  the  jirocess  of  cooking,  which  was  overlooked  by  the 
jiriests,  the  company  mutually  chastised  each  other  until  the  sacrifice 
was  completed  and  the  victim  cooked  to  a  nicety." 

"  To  give  themselves  an  appetite." 

•'  What  then  ?  " 

"  The  crowd  treated  themselves  to  a  feed  of  beef-steak,  roast  beef, 
and  rump-steak  that  would  have  put  Gargantna  to  shame." 


272  THE  LAND  OF  THE  SPHINX. 

"  Of  course,  not  till  after  the  priests  had  taken  their  share  of  the 
banquet." 

"  The  best  pieces  ?  " 

"  Naturally  !  " 

"  Those  good  old  hierophants  !  " 

"  Father  Apis  must  have  lived  to  a  ripe  old  age  under  such  an 
administration." 

"  Alas  !  Apis  only  lived  for  a  certain  time  :  that  was  the  reverse 
of  the  medal.  After  twenty-five  years  he  was  slaughtered  and  cast 
into  a  holy  well  that  was  known  only  to  the  priests.  If  he  died  before 
the  expiration  of  that  period,  he  was  buried  with  pomp  ;  his  remains 
were  placed  in  a  chapel  with  brazen  doors  or  in  subterranean 
caves ;  the  ministers  of  religion  shaved  their  heads,  and  the  whole 
people  went  into  mourning  until  a  successor  to  the  deceased  Apis 
was  found. 

"  The  vulture  was  the  symbol  of  Phtah,  and  the  lion  also  rej)resented 
him." 

"  But,"  inquired  Onesime,  "  he  must  have  had  a  wife  of  some  kind 
somewhere,  this  Phtah,  a  companion,  '  a  palm  tree  of  delight,'  to  speak 
as  the  gallant  Ti,  a  little  hen  to  incubate  his  celebrated  egg  and  hatch 
those  famous  chicks  the  sun  and  moon  ?  One  cannot  make  an  egg  all 
alone,  after  all !  " 

"  He  had  the  third  share  of  a  wife " 

"  A  third  share  ?  " 

"  That  was  unfortunately  his  lot.  Kronos  and  Thoth  divided  the 
favours  of  the  goddess  Athor  with  him." 

"  The  goddess  with  three  husbands  ?  What  a  woman  this  goddess 
was,  after  all !  She  also  must  have  had  a  temple  where  she  was 
adored." 

"Yes,  in  the  nome  of  Menilaites  at  Momemphis,  as  well  as  at 
Atarbechis,  the  city  of  Athor,  which  Strabo  terms  Aphroditopolis,  the 
city  of  Venus." 

"  They  must  have  been  rather  dissipated  in  those  little  nests  1 " 

"  The  Greeks  knew  of  her  in  Egypt  by  the  name  of  the  '  Dark 
Venus.' " 


EFFECT    OF    THE    SUN.  273 

"  Because  she  sought  out  these  little  nooks  ?  " 

"  Rather,  Monsieur  Ouesime,  on  account  of  the  black  veil  that 
covered  her." 

"  It  served  to  hide  her  frolics." 

"  She  was  simply  in  mourning  for  her  virginity,  my  friend.  The 
hawk  was  her  symbol,  the  cow  her  adored  and  venerated  image  ;  the 
mouse  and  the  dove  were  sacred  to  her." 

"  Now  that  you  are  edified  in  regard  to  these  dear  Apis  we'll  go 
and  see  their  tombs,  if  you're  agreeable  ?  "  said  Jacques,  rising. 

"  Let's  go,"  said  Keradec. 

"  Well,  and  you  ? "  Jacques  inquired  of  On^sime,  who  did  not 
show  any  sign  of  moving. 

"  Oh  I  I  remain  ;  I  will  wait  for  you  here." 

"  You  don't  want  to  see  the  Serapeum  ?  " 

"  Faith  I  no.  Monsieur  Keradec  relates  all  these  stories  of  the 
past  so  nicely,  your  own  sketches  are  so  true  to  nature,  that  I  prefer  to 
listen  to  the  Doctor's  description  of  the  Serapeum  and  to  consult  your 
album ;  not  to  see  it  for  myself.  I  get  mixed  up  with  my  impressions. 
I  cannot  make  them  clear,  whereas  after  listening  to  your  explanation, 
Monsieur  Keradec,  and  looking  at  your  sketches,  my  friend,  the  thing 
is  engraved  in  my  head  and  does  not  move.     It's  fixed. 

"  Proceed,  gentlemen,  do  not  let  me  detain  you  " ;  and  Ondsime, 
whose  eyes  commence  blinking,  indicates  the  Serapeum  to  them  with 
a  pretty  wave  of  the  hand. 

Jacques  and  Ke'radec  set  out  laughing ;  they  understand  that 
Onesime  wants  to  have  liis  little  siesta,  and  they  walk  towards  the 
tombs  of  the  Apis. 

From  where  they  stand,  Cairo  and  its  Citadel  with  its  two  slender 
minarets  can  be  seen  in  the  background ;  the  city  comes  out  very 
white,  on  the  left  against  the  deep  blue  sky,  on  the  right  against  the 
tawny  hills  of  Mokattam.  The  Nile  sparkles  at  its  feet,  and  is 
rendered  still  more  luminous  by  the  contrast  of  the  burnt-ochre  tones 
of  the  desert,  which  borders  the  Libyan  bank.  Here,  at  about  two 
hundred  paces  from  them,  in  the  foreground,  is  an  intensely  blue  lake, 
and  on  its  banks  a  herd  of  buffaloes  watched  by  two  Arabs  in  the 

18 


274 


THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 


shade,  beneath  a  solitary  tamarisk.  The  efFect  is  striking  in  colour 
and  power. 

"  Memphis  must  have  been  a  wonderful  city,"  Jacques  remarked  to 
the  Doctor,  as  they  approached  the  Serapeum. 

"Unique!  The  city  of  Phtah,  '  Akou  Phtah,'  which  they 
called  the  good  port,  '  Mannofri,'  Memphis.  That  statue  we  saw 
this  morning,  near  Mitrahineh,  half  buried  in  the  mud,  was  one  of 
the  two  colossi  that  Sesostris  erected  before  the  gate  of  the  temple 
of  Phtah. 

"  Even  after  the  invasion  of  the  Hyksos,  when  Thebes  had  become 


Cairo  from  the  desert. 


the  capital  of  the  Pharaohs,  Memphis  continued  to  prosper  for  a  long 
time. 

"  Its  port  on  the  Nile  was  the  mart  of  Egypt,  and  of  the  East. 
People  assembled  there  by  nationalities.  In  one  part  of  the  city  the 
Phoenicians  had  their  houses  of  business,  their  temple  erected  to  Venus 
Aphrodite  or  Astarte ;  and  the  noise,  the  animation  that  reigned  there, 
formed  a  striking  contrast  to  the  calm  and  grave  tranquillity  of  the 
Egyptian  city.  Near  the  '  White  Wall '  was  the  military  quarter,  with 
its  numerous  barracks. 

"  Its  industry  was  renowned ;  its  schools  depending  on  the  temple 
of  Phtah  were  much  frequented  and  appreciated.  From  a  strategic 
point  of  view,  it  was  one  of  the  principal  bulwarks  of  the  empire,  and 


maeiette's  discoveky.  275 

its  famous  fortress,  the  '  White  Wall/  victoriously  resisted  long  sieges 
and  furious  assaults  at  different  periods. 

'-  The  founding  of  Alexandria  dealt  Memphis  a  blow  ;  that  of 
Fostat  despatched  it.  Reduced  to  the  state  of  a  quarry,  Memphis  was 
abandoned  for  Amrou's  new  city  ;  the  marble  and  alabaster  of  the 
Pharaonic  or  Greek  monuments  served  to  form  the  interior  of  the 
Arab  mosques,  the  hewn  stone  was  used  for  their  walls,  the  dlded 
wooden  beams  ornamented  the  houses  of  the  '  believers,'  and  its  ruins 
soon  disappeared  beneath  the  desert  sand,  leaving  nothing  of  Memphis 
but  its  half-buried  Xecropolis. 

"Here  we  are  at  the  Serapeum.  At  this  same  spot,  forty  years 
ago,  Mariette,  perceiving  the  head  of  a  sphinx  penetrating  through  the 
sand,  had  the  surrounding  ground  cleared  away,  and  recognised  one 
of  those  statues  that  figure  in  the  avenues  approaching  the  great 
Egyptian  temples.  Hearing  the  Arabs  say  that  similar  statues  had 
been  discovered  at  the  same  spot,  then  remembering  a  passage  in 
Strabo  where  a  description  of  the  Serapeum  seemed  to  coincide  with 
the  aspect  of  the  ground  where  he  had  commenced  his  excavations, 
he  was  convinced  that  he  was  on  the  traces  of  the  celebrated  temple, 
so  famous  in  antiquity. 

"  He  advanced  the  work  with  ceaseless  activity.  In  two  months 
the  avenue  was  cleared ;  a  number  of  other  sphinxes,  some  intact, 
others  mutilated,  were  brought  to  light,  as  well  as  the  statues  of  great 
philosophers  and  literary  men  of  Greece,  arranged  in  a  hemicycle 
terminating  the  avenue.  The  space  between  the  latter  and  the 
hemicycle  was  crossed  by  a  dromos,  ending  on  the  left  at  a  temple 
of  Apis  flanked  by  two  enormous  sphinxes,  on  the  right  at  the  temple 
of  the  Serapeum,  with  its  two  crouching  lions  placed  in  front  of  its 
pylons.  This  dromos  was  bordered  by  a  multitude  of  statues  of 
animals,  of  groups  of  Greek  statuary.  Hundreds  of  small  figures  of 
divinities  in  bronze  were  found  in  the  foundations  of  the  temple. 

"  In  spite  of  the  falling  in  of  the  ground,  which  the  great  depth 
that  they  had  reached  rendered  more  frequent  and  dangerous ; 
notwithstanding  the  obstacles  of  all  sorts  against  which  he  had  to 
struggle,  Mariette,  thanks  to  extraordinary  perseverance,  to  invincible 


276  THE  LAND  OF  THE  SPHINX. 

tenacity  and  energy,  overcame  all  difficnlties  ;  and,  after  eight 
months'  constant  struggle,  attained  the  end  of  his  labour.  A  final 
blow  from  the  pickaxe  of  a  fellah  opened  the  entrance  to  the  sacred 
hypogeum. 

"  Mariette  relates  his  discovery  in  the  following  terms  :— 
" '  The  tomb  of  Apis  is  a  subterranean  edifice,  and  when,  on  the 
12th   November,   18.51,  I  penetrated  within  it  for  the  first  time,  I 
confess  that  I  was  overcome  with  a  feeling  of  astonishment,  which 
after  five  years  is  not  yet  quite  efi'aced  from  my  mind. 

" '  By  an  accident  that  I  have  difficulty  in  understanding,  a  chamber 
in  the  tomb  of  Apis,  closed  up  in  the  year  30  of  Rameses  II.,  had 
escaped  the  spoliations  of  the  monument,  and  I  had  the  pleasure 
of  finding  it  intact.  Three  thousand  seven  hundred  years  had  not 
changed  its  primitive  appearance.  The  finger-marks  of  the  Egyptian 
who  had  closed  the  last  stone  of  the  wall  built  across  the  door  were 
still  on  the  cement.  Naked  feet  had  left  their  imprint  on  the  layer 
of  sand  placed  in  a  corner  of  the  mortuary  chamber.  Nothing  was 
wanting  in  this  receptacle  of  the  dead,  where  an  embalmed  bull  had 
reposed  for  nearly  forty  centuries.'  " 

The  doorway  is  already  invaded  by  sand,  and  it  is  by  slipping 
between  the  wall  and  an  enormous  granite  sarcophagus  blocking  up 
the  entry  that  they  reach  the  principal  corridor.  The  gigantic  cofters, 
hewn  in  single  blocks  of  basalt  or  porphyry,  or  simply  calcareous 
stone,  placed  in  these  vaults  roughly  hollowed  out  of  the  virgin  rock, 
look  like  the  colossal  coffins  of  a  race  of  giants.  They  explore  the 
vast  subterranean  galleries  one  after  the  other  ;  the  magnesium  light 
of  the  guide  sheds  bright  rays  around.  These  sepulchral  chambers, 
these  grand  remains  of  a  civilisation  that  has  disappeared,  deeply 
afi'ect  them;  they  leave  quite  oppressed,  and  return  in  silence  to 
Mariette's  house. 

On^sime,  who  had  finished  his  siesta,  was  struck  with  the  grave 
expression  on  their  faces. 

"  Well !  my  poor  Jacquot,  we  look  very  sad,  very  dejected.  What 
have  the  Apis  done  to  you  then,  to  give  you  both  such  a  piteous 
apjDearance  ?     Did  they  receive  you  badly,  the  rascals  ?  " 


THE    SEEAPEUM. 


277 


"  No,   my   dear   Ondsime ;   but  one   cannot   contemplate   without 
emotion  a  place  which  for  thousands  of  years  was  the  object  of  the 


lior  of  the  Serapeum. 


veneration  of  the  entire  world.  One  feels  somewhat  giddy|in  the  face 
of  the  abyss  of  centuries  which  separates  us  from  those  who  bnilt  these 
sacred  dwellings.     We  are  a  little  upset,  that  is  all." 


278  THE    LAND    OF    THE  '  SPHINX. 

"  It's  the  past  that  rises  in  your  throats  and  stifles  you,  gentlemen 
sepulchre-hunters  ! 

"  But  why  are  you  always  thrusting  yourselves  among  these 
heggars  of  Pharaohs,  and  endeavouring  to  make  their  acquaintance 
by  force?  Why  torment  by  your  presence,  why  persecute,  on  every 
excuse,  to  the  bottom  of  their  funeral  vaults,  individuals  who  have 
taken  a  dislike  to  you  ?     It's  senseless  ! 

"  Here  are  people  who  have  made  superhuman  efforts  to  hide  their 
burial-places  and  to  prevent  profane  hands  from  pulling  their  bones 
about ;  who  have  pushed  precaution  to  the  point  of  boring  mountains 
and  of  raising  factitious  ones  for  the  purpose  of  concealing  their  coffins 
there  and  sleeping  their  last  sleep  in  peace.  And  your  first  care  is  to 
go  and  trouble  their  tcte-cl-tete  with  death,  to  turn  their  tumuli  topsy- 
turvy, hunt  them  out  in  their  dark  holes,  rummage  in  their  affairs, 
despoil  them  of  their  bandages,  prig  their  jewellery,  collect  their 
chaplets,  thrust  your  noses  into  their  prayer-books  ;  briefly,  to  pillage 
them.  But  it's  burglary  !  A  matter  for  the  Court  of  Assizes  : 
violation  of  sepulchres,  Article  360  of  the  Penal  Code.  Punishable 
with  imprisonment  and  hard  labour. 

"  And,  to  crown  all,  when  you  have  once  thoroughly  dislocated  the 
poor  old  bones  of  these  good-natured,  inoffensive  mummies,  who  only 
ask  for  silence  and  oblivion,  you  write  all  sorts  of  unheard-of  things 
about  them,  and  indecently  exhibit  their  shapeless  remains  under  glass 
cases  in  your  museums,  where  they  are  the  object  of  the  brutal  curiosity 
and  stupid  comments  of  the  crowd ! 

"  You  will  own  that  there  is  here  matter  for  vexation,  and  that 
one  should  not  be  angry  with  these  unfortunate  mummies  for  showing 
a  little  ill-humour  ? 

"  I  cannot  be  accused  of  excessive  tenderness  for  the  Pharaohs. 
Well,  I  feel  overcome  with  pity  when  I  see  the  ill-bred,  off-hand  way 
in  which  what  remains  of  them  is  treated.  I've  no  grudge  beyond  the 
tomb,  I've  not ! 

"  Look  here  !  The  wisest  thing,  now  that  you've  put  all  the 
customers  of  this  necropolis  against  you,  is  to  be  off  at  your  quickest. 

"  Here,  Hassan  !    Ahmed  !  Abdallah  !     Hurry  up  !     Quick  !     Put 


A  BREAKNECK  GALLOP  TO  BEDRASHEEN  STATION.      279 

on  the  saddles  !  "  thunders  One'sime  in  a  stentorian  voice,  striking 
the  palms  of  his  hands  together,  after  the  Oriental  fashion,  to  call  the 
donkey  boys. 

In  a  twist  of  the  wrist  the  animals  are  saddled,  bridled,  and 
brought  to  the  foot  of  the  steps  of  the  verandah. 

"  And  the  pyramids  of  Dashour  ?  "  exclaims  Jacques. 

"  And  the  wells  of  the  ibis  mummies  ?  " 

"  It's  a  violent  interference  with  us,"  says  the  first. 

"  A  forcible  abduction,"  chimes  in  the  Doctor. 

"  It's  anything  you  like,"  retorts  Ondsime,  who  is  not  of  their 
mind. 

He  is  hungry  ;  a  good  dinner  awaits  him  ;  they  have  just  time  to 
catch  the  train,  and  shall  not  miss  it. 

"  There's  enough  for  to-day  of  your  pyramids,  hj^ogei,  mastabas, 
and  the  rest.  I  am  dragging  you  out  of  your  nightmare,  tearing  you 
from  the  pursuit  of  folly.  You  do  not  intend,  I  suj^pose,  for  the  un- 
healthy pleasure  of  contemplating  the  layers  of  stones  in  a  pyramid,  or 
of  counting  the  feathers  of  a  stujQfed  ibis,  to  make  us  lose  the  train  and 
swallow  a  warmed-up  dinner  ? 

"  By  dint  of  roaming  in  those  cemeteries,  rubbing  against  those 
frightful  tombs,  you  exhale  a  vague  odour  of  corpse,  you  smell  the 
sepulchre." 

"  And  yon  the  dinner." 

"  I  have  a  delicate  nasal  organ,  my  friend,  and  not  a  depraved 
sense  of  smell." 

"  Come,  let  us  be  ofi".     Don't  let's  quarrel  with  your  stomach." 

Urging  forward  their  donkeys,  who  for  their  part  smell  the  stable, 
they  set  out  at  full  speed,  raising  a  cloud  of  dust.  "  Gambetta  "  bolts, 
"Telegraph"  is  worthy  of  his  name,  "  De  Lesseps  "  flies.  Ou^sime, 
borne  along  at  a  wild  gallop,  does  not  notice,  in  his  hurry  to  get  home, 
Hassan's  diabolical  "  Ah  !  "  who  has  picked  up  a  jackal's  thigh-bone 
on  the  sly,  and  literally  massacres  "  De  Lesseps'  "  buttock  with  it. 
They  pass  like  lightning  before  the  mastaba  of  El-Pharaoun  and  the 
Step  Pyramid,  tear  through  Sakarah,  laming  fowls,  dispersing  flocks 
of  turkeys,  putting  all  the  village  in  commotion  and  the  dogs  at  their 


280 


THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 


heels,  to  Mitraliiueh  ;  the  chikh-eu  fly,  the  women  scream  out  crazily, 
everything  gives  way  before  them  ;  they  dash  in  and  out  of  Bedrasheen 
at  breakneck  speed,  and  tumble  into  the  station  in  time  to  precijntate 
themselves  into  the  train.  At  six  o'clock  they  are  at  Cairo,  in  a  cafe 
of  the  Esbekieh,  drowning  the  disagreeable  perfumes  of  the  past  in 
a  social  glass. 


The  port  of  Old  Cairo. 


CHAPTER  XIIL 

K^radec  leaves  for  Upper  Egypt.— Jacques  introduces  him,  on  the  steamer,  to 
Sir  Hugh  and  Miss  Madge.— The  Doctor  is  disagreeably  surprised  to  meet 
Reptilius  on  board.— A  trip  to  the  Bazaars.— The  Mouski,  the  Khan-el-Khalil, 
the  Nahassin,  the  Serougieh,  the  Souk-es-Sullah,  EI-Ghourieh.— Along  the 
Khalig.— What  remains  of  El-Asker  and  of  El-Katai.— The  legend  of  the 
Tent  of  Amrou.— Xear  the  aqueduct.— Filthy  feast.— Old  Cairo.— Its  port.— 
With  the  Howling  Dervishes.— Their  Mosque.— An  ebony-coloured  maniac, 
a  fantastical  Zikr.— In  the  Coptic  town. — The  Church  of  Sidi  Miriam. — The 
Mosque  of  Amrou. — The  legend  of  Omar. 


rr^HE  Doctor,  to  the  great  grief  of  Abdallah,  left  for  Thebes  this 
-^  morning.  He  had  been  kind  enough  to  delay  his  journey  for  a 
few  days  in  order  to  pilot  his  friends  about  a  little  and  accustom  them 
to  the  country  ;  but,  notwithstanding  mutual  regret,  he  could  not 
postpone  his  departure  any  longer.  So  they  are  deprived  of  their 
delightful  cicerone  and  good  friend. 

Notwithstanding  his  dives  into  antiquity,  his  excursions  on  the 
ocean  of  hypotheses,  his  habit  of  sinking  the  systems  of  his  condisciples, 
he  rapidly  rose  to  the  surface,  and  hastened  to  reinvest  himself  with 
the  air  of  an  agreeable  person,  to  become  once  more  an  extremely 
witty  talker,  a  charming  companion,  a  man  of  many  parts. 

He  did  not  exhale  that  smell  of  mustiness  and  old  folio  volumes 

281 


282  THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 

that  the  learned  generally  drag  along  with  them.  He  chatted,  he  did 
not  pontificate.  People  knew  a  great  deal  after  each  conversation 
with  him  without  feeling  that  he  was  the  professor  giving  the  lesson. 
He  possessed  peculiar  talent  for  bringing  into  prominence  the  slight 
baggage  of  which  their  knowledge  was  made  up,  and  for  allowing 
his  own  prodigious  erudition  to  pass  unperceived  ;  so  much  so  that 
Onesime  and  Jacques  were  sometimes  quite  astonished  that  they  knew 
so  much. 

On  the  steamer  they  meet  some  of  their  acquaintances  of  the  Scud 
— Sir  Hugh,  his  daughter,  and  Miss  Priscilla — who  were  to  stay  two 
months  at  Thebes.  Jacques  introduces  the  Doctor  :  as  Sir  Hugh  is  a 
bit  of  an  Egyptologist,  and  both  are  perfect  gentlemen,  they  will  get 
on  very  well. 

She  is  very  pretty,  Miss  Madge,  with  her  magnificent  light  hair, 
jiiled  up  at  the  back  of  the  head  in  heavy  coils  displaying  a  brown-gold 
shade,  and  sheltering  her  temples  and  forehead,  which  are  of  exquisite 
purity,  with  a  silken  network  of  rebellious  tresses  quivering  in  the 
wind.  You  like  her  dark  blue  eyes  under  her  beautiful  nut-brown 
brows.  Her  small  teeth,  well-set,  regular,  sparkle  with  whiteness 
beneath  her  crimson  and  firmly  outlined  lips.  Her  nose  is  straight, 
delicately  modelled,  her  chin  shaped  with  rare  correctness,  her  neck 
admirably  proportioned.  And  over  all  what  a  splendid,  warm,  light 
carnation  tint,  with  amber  tones  !  She  is  tall,  slim,  elegant  ;  the  waist 
is  supple  ;  the  hand  is  beautiful ;  the  foot  small,  narrow,  arched. 
She  walks  very  erect,  with  infinite  grace  and  perfect  ease. 

"  When  an  English  girl  makes  up  her  mind  to  be  pretty  she  cer- 
tainly does  not  stop  half-way,"  says  Jacques. 

"  And  when  she  decides  on  being  ugly,"  answers  Onesime  in  a 
whisper,  gazing  at  Miss  Priscilla,  "  she  goes  to  the  extreme.  It's  all 
one  or  all  the  other  in  England." 

Some  of  Cook  and  Son's  packages  are  also  there  ;  they  are  going 
to  Thebes,  probably  to  break  off  the  tip  of  the  ear  of  a  colossus,  and 
to  make  a  paperweight  out  of  it  on  their  return  home. 

Just  as  the  steamer  was  about  to  leave,  Reptilius,  in  a  great  hurry, 
appeared  on  the  quay,  rushed  on  deck  out  of  breath,  and  had  some 


Court  of  an  Arab  house. 


A    TKIP    TO    THE    BAZAAES. 


285 


cases  of  a  strange  form  placed  in  Ms  cabin.  Dr.  Keradec  turned 
pale  at  the  sight  of  him,  and  up  to  the  last  moment  appeared 
very  pre-occupied. 

There  is  something  wrong 
between  them ;  they  reckon 
each  other  up  with  severity  ! 
What  on  earth  can  it  be  ?  : 

A  last  pressure  of  tlie  hand; 
the  steamer  weighs  anchor. 
Jacques  and  Onesime  are 
alone;  they  feel  they  will  miss 
Keradec  a  great  deal. 

They  return  to  the  Esbekieh. 
Onesime  goes  to  the  hotel ; 
and  while  he  is  writing  a  few 
letters,  Jacques  sets  out  for  a 
stroll  in  the  Bazaars. 

He  first  of  all  follows  the 
Mouski,  that  great  artery 
which  cuts  the  Bazaar  quarter 
in  two.  The  Mouski,  the  old 
Frank  quarter,  is  the  only 
street  where  the  East  mixes 
so  much  with  the  West  with- 
out, however,  being  absorbed 
by  it.  They  live  side  by  side; 
they  bow,  speak  in  the  morn- 
ing on  opening  the  shutters, 
in  the  evening  on  closing 
them.  They  offer  each  other 
tea,  cigarettes,  during  the  day, 
and  there  ends  the  connection. 

Here  one  sees  establishments  of  all  countries,  samples  of  all  people, 
who  wrangle  in  all  languages ;  it  is  a  regular  Babel  Street.  There  is 
a  dealer  in  French  novelties,  separated  from  an  American  dentist  by  the 


286 


THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 


little  shop  of  an  Arab  barber;    an    Italian  retailing  vermouth    with 

, a  German   druggist   for   neighbour, 

wlio  chats  with  an  Israelite  money- 
changer to  whom  he  has  let  a  corner 
of  his  shop,  and  so  on. 

In  the  road,  on  the  footpaths,  a 
compact  crowd,  a  rolling  flood  of 
folks  always  on  the  move,  hailing 
from  all  latitudes  :  Fellaheen, 
Arabs,  Nubians,  Soudanese,  Syrians, 
Turks,  Greeks,  Italians,  Spaniards, 
Frenchmen,  Englishmen,  Germans, 
Americans  ;  all  jjossible  races  defile 
there,  all  the  colours  of  the  rainbow 
are  displayed  there.  And  among 
this  multitude  are  loaded  camels, 
people  on  horses,  donkeys,  mules, 
A  domesticated  negro.  victorias  drawu  by  powerful  steeds 

at  a  trot,  sayces  driving  the  crowd 
aside  by  blows  from  their  sticks, 
water-carriers,  ambulant  dealers, 
soldiers — something  of  everybody; 
with  cries,  hustling,  and  an  in- 
fernal noise. 

From  the  Mouski,  or  rather 
from  the  New  Street,  the  continua- 
tion of  the  Mouski,  one  turns  to  the 
left  down  a  small,  narrow  lane, 
and  comes  into  the  midst  of  the 
Bazaar  of  Khan  Khalil,  before  a 
high  gateway  striped  alternately 
white  and  red. 

At  the  first  glance  one  sees 
nothing  inside  the  gate ;  the  street  is 
terminated  by  a  great  black  chasm, 


THE     KHAN    KHALIL. 


287 


which  seems  a  hole  in  the  enormous  white  wall 
darker  by  the  vigorous  opposition  of  one 
side  of  the  gate,  which  is  brightly  lit  up  by 
the  sun.  Little  by  little  the  eye  recovers 
from  the  shock  produced  by  the  sudden 
transition  from  shade  to  light ;  the  place 
becomes  illuminated  gently,  slowly,  by  in- 
sensible degrees,  and  one  discovers  in  the 
bluish  penumbra  of  the  immense  arcade  a 
whole  world  of  beings  and  things  standing 
out  in  a  sort  of  light,  filmy,  transparent 
vapour. 

Beneath  the  arch,  hooked  on  to  the  sides 
of  the  walls,  are  diminutive  shoj)s.  From 
the  edge  of  the  raised  pentices  hang  frightful 
many-coloured  rags  ;  on  the  shelves  are  cojjper 
utensils  of  all  forms  and  sizes,  coifee  pots  with 
bewitching  curves,  little  coffee  pans  with  long 
handles,  perfume  burners  of  rare  elegance, 
delicious  ewers,  and  beside  them  two  enor- 
mous chandeliers 


it  is  made  still 


Types  in  the  Mouski 


for      mosques 

All  these  things, 

of  red  or  yellow 

copper,  shine   softly  in   the   shade  with 

dying  reflections  of  blue. 

In  the  other  shops  more  copper 
utensils,  but  also  other  things  :  Persian 
caskets,  chiselled  with  an  art  and 
patience  that  are  astounding ;  sabres 
with  handles  of  rhinoceros  horn,  the 
flexible  and  tapering  blades  of  which 
rest  in  red  velvet  sheaths,  with  copper 
mounts  and  chains  ;  lances  ;  Circassian 
or  Saracen  steel  armour  inlaid  with  gold  ; 


288 


THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 


tables  fashioned  in  the  form  of  ogees,  all  covered  with  incrustations 
of  mother-of-pearl  and  ivory  ;  mosque  lamps — in  fact,  something  of 
everything. 

Inside  the  shop,  against  this  background  of  arms  and  knick-knacks, 
shining  in  semi-obscurity,  a  handsome  old  man,  his 
head  wrapped  in  a  turban  as  white  as  snow,  in 
a  silk  gown  striped  yellow  and  white,  showing  a 
piece  of  waistcoat  of  apple-green  colour,  is  squatted 
on  a  rich  Smyrna  carpet  before  a  doll's  table  made 
of  deal.  With  the  aid  of  a  punch  and  a  small 
hammer  he  draws  marvellous  arabesques,  with  sur- 
prising dexterity,  on  a  tray  that  has  just  left  the 
hands  of  the  beater. 

Beside  him  a  beautiful  child  in  a  blue   gown 
polishes  a  pair  of  Mameluke  i^istols. 

At  the  angle  of  the  street  facing  this  gateway, 
a  dealer  in  old  clothes  is  enjoying  his  narghileh  and 
playing  a  game  at  "  namr  "  with  a  neighbour. 
At  the  opposite  angle  another  display  of  copper  ;  verses  from  the 
Koran  in  green  letters  on  a  black  ground  hang  in  black  frames  against 
the  walls.  The  devout  owner,  curled  up  in  a 
corner  of  his  den,  has  given  way  to  the  sweet- 
ness of  the  comforting  "kief"  in  which  he 
dreams  of  Mahomet's  seven  heavens. 

This  gate  of  the  quarter  gives  access  to 
one  of  the  principal  thoroughfares  of  the 
Bazaar  ;  a  very  compact  crowd  moves  along 
there.  It  is  tolerably  broad,  very  high,  pro- 
tected by  a  roof  made  of  planks,  reed  mats, 
trellis-work  fashioned  out  of  j^alm  branches, 
thrown  on  beams  reaching  from  wall  to  wall. 
The  sun  penetrates  through  a  number  of 
openings,  spreading  out  in  a  thousand  rays.  Manufacturers  of  pipe-stems. 
presenting  the  effect  of  a  forest  of  fiery  spears  thrust  into  the  wall.  In 
places  only  the  bare  beams  remain,  and  rare  planks  falling  into  decay 


A  -ivonian  of  Cairo. 


C  .   MQ  h'^Sr^yiO- 


m 


Under  a  eate  of  the  Khan-el-Khalil. 


19 


THE    KHAN-EL-KHALIL. 


291 


by  age.  The  mats,  made  rotten  bv  the  temperature  of  the  air,  have 
disappeared,  with  the  exception  of  a  few  shreds  that  dangle  overhead. 
Then  one  perceives  the  deep  blue  sky  ;  in  the  sky  black  kites,  vultures, 
hawks,  describing  circles,  and,  from  time  to  time,  a  triangle  of  wild 
geese,  coming  from  the 
north,  pass  by.  The  sun 
bursts  in  through  these 
large  openings,  and  on  the 
whitewashed  walls  streams 
a  sheet  of  dazzling  light, 
rudely  intersected  by  lines 
of  shade  from  the  beams. 

The  road  is  covered  with 
a  thick  layer  of  sand  and 
dust  ;  when  it  rains,  it 
becomes  a  marsh. 

On  either  side  shops 
succeed  shops  in  a  double 
line,  broken  here  and  there 
by  the  great  wall  of  a  mined 
mosque,  the  carved  door  of 
a  shrine,  or  part  of  a  brick 
wall,  crumbling  away  at  the 
base,  which  threatens  to 
tumble  down,  gaping  holes 
hidden  by  partitions  of  dis- 
jointed planks  grey  with 
dust,  floors  that  have  fallen 
in. 

From  time  to  time  one  passes  beneath  an  arch  with  open  double 
doors,  the  folds  of  which,  a  foot  in  thickness,  are  plastered  over  with 
a  coating  of  filth,  shining  in  the  lower  part  where  beggars  have  set 
their  backs,  dull  above  :  they  are  sheathed  in  sheets  of  copper 
furnished  with  triple  rows  of  nails.  A  cofl'ee-seller  is  installed 
between  them.     A  square  niche  hollowed  out  in  the  breadth  of  the 


^  1 


A  merchant  of  lottery. 


292 


THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 


masonry  contains  two  or  three  cracked  white  cups  and  a  saucer  with 
kimps  of  sugar.  On  a  stove,  made  on  the  spur  of  the  moment  with 
stones  and  a  handful  of  plaster,  sings  a  tin  jug,  and  a  tiny  copper  pan 
full  of  Mocha  is  being  kept  warm  in  the  cinders. 

Sometimes,  at  the  bottom  of  a  turn-again  alley,  one  perceives  a 

lofty  building-  of  dressed  stone,  and 
a  monumental  door,  the  aperture  of 
which  is  edged  with  interlaced  orna- 
mentation. A  flap  opens,  and  veiled 
women  enter,  accompanied  by  their 
slaves  and  bathing  attendants.  It 
is  a  public  bath  ;  it  is  a  day  reserved 
to  women.  They  make  appointments 
with  each  other  there,  burn  perfumes, 
aloes,  and  benjamin,  send  for  singers, 
and  treat  themselves  to  pastry  and 
sorbets. 

A  number  of  narrow  dark  irregu- 
lar streets  bear  on  this  principal 
thoroughfare.  The  buildings  in 
blocks  of  dressed  calcareous  stone 
are  very  high  ;  the  corbels  of  the 
upper  floors  almost  touch  each  other, 
hardly  j^ermittiug  one  to  catch  sight 
of  a  gap  of  light  or  a  square  of 
blue  sky. 

The  street  is  full  of  people  ;  they 
come  from  all  sides :  it  is  a  continual 
rolling  wave,  heaving,  noisy,  com- 
posed of  most  different  elements. 
They  hurry  along,  elbow  each  other,  but  not  roughly,  and  show  courtesy 
full  of  good  humour. 

This  crowd  is  far  less  disagreeable  than  a  European  one  ;  it  is  more 
civil,  less  morose,  and,  above  all,  does  not  exhale  those  strong  and 
insufferable   odours    that   are    invariably   emitted  in    gatherings    of 


An  Arab  begMrwoman. 


THE    KHAN-EL-KHALIL. 


293 


Northern  people.  This  peculiar  immunity,  enjoyed  by  Orientals,  and 
in  which  the  great  eating  and  drinking  Northern  races,  under  their 
cloudy  sky,  in  their  damp  atmosphere,  do  not  participate,  is  the  result, 
among  the  children  of  the  Prophet,  of  frequent  baths,  constant  ablu- 
tions, great  sobriety,  and  of  a  splendid  climate. 

Bedouins,  with  hard  physiognomies  beneath  their  kouffiehs  fastened 
tight  round  their  heads,  their  ample  garments  in  camel's  hair  striped 
white  and  yellow,  walk  slowly,  erect,  cold,  impassive.  Persians,  with 
their  delicate,  effeminate  features,  in 
floating  silk  gowns,  wearing  high 
astrakan  caps  on  their  heads,  with  their 
painted  faces,  their  dyed  hair  and  beards, 
apjjear  like  dolls  beside  these  rough 
children  of  the  desert.  Here  it  is  an 
Arnaut,  proud  in  bearing,  the  ends  of  his 
moustache  twirled  up  in  points,  looking 
magnificent  in  his  crimson  jacket 
smothered  with  gold,  with  open  floating 
sleeves,  also  sprinkled  with  gold  and 
lined  with  pink  silk,  his  skirt  of  well-  ^pf-^ 
ironed  white  muslin,  embroidered  gaiters, 
with  an  arsenal  of  arms  in  his  belt.  He 
makes  the  ugliness  of  a  fat  baboon-like 
Turkish  functionary,  in  tarboush  and 
stambouliue,  whose  spare  nether  garment 
ill  dissembles  a  pair  of  feet  swollen  with 

fat,  stand  out  very  prominently.  A  sturdy  Montenegrin,  with  arched 
nose,  eagle  eyes,  accentuated  features,  bargains  for  an  inlaid  pistol. 
His  eye  sparkles  strangely  when  he  grasps  the  weapon  in  his  dry, 
brawny  hands.  Farther  on,  seated  at  the  edge  of  an  Algerine  jeweller's 
shop,  a  Maghrebin  from  Mequinez,  white  and  pink,  exquisitely  clean, 
wrapped  in  the  folds  of  his  white  silk  haifk,  handles  with  his  slender 
fingers,  with  nails  reddened  by  henna,  massive  bracelets  manufactured 
in  the  Djurjura. 

Then  there  are  negroes  from  the  Soudan,  of  a  deep,  dull  black,  sly 


294 


THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 


Abyssinians,  Nubians  with  long  wavy  hair,  with  a  simple  piece  of 
cloth  round  the  loins,  Arabs  from  Sinai  in  rags,  their  long  guns  on 
their  shoulders,  fellaheen  men,  women,  children,  old  men,  beggars, 
blind  men,  reciting  a  prayer  through  the  nose,  well-to-do  townsfolk, 
followed  by  their  slaves,  and  lost  in  the  floating  folds  of  their  long 
pieces  of  black  taffetas  which  they  hold  on  their  chests  with  both 

hands,  loaded  with  rings  and  bracelets, 
displaying  ostentatiously  their  heavy 
feet  encased  in  European  boots. 

Amidst  this  clamorous  multitude 
move  sordid  Jewish  sarafs,  water- 
sellers  with  goat  skins  on  their 
shoulders,  leathern  aprons  covering 
their  knees,  striking  their  copper 
goblets  one  against  the  other, 
venerable  imams  on  richly  caparisoned 
mules,  whose  gowns  are  kissed  by  the 
people  as  they  go  by.  Sometimes  a 
"  saint,"  naked,  filthy,  appears  ges- 
ticulating, vociferating  the  name  of 
Allah,  and  the  crowd  opens  before 
him  out  of  resi)ect,  mingled,  perhaps, 
with  a  little  disgust. 

At  moments  the  traffic  is  suddenly 
blocked  by  a  long  string  of  camels, 
which  advance  loaded  with  thick 
jdeces  of  timber,  rugged  stone,  or 
enormous  bales.  They  walk  silently 
in  the  dust,  which  deadens  the  sound 
of  their  tread,  with  long  strides  and  a  horrible  waving  to  and  fro, 
exhaling  an  insupportable  odour.  Their  heavy  and  incommodious 
cargoes,  borne  along  in  this  oscillating  movement,  become  regular 
rams,  striking  right  and  left,  breaking  in  everything  before  them. 
Woe  betide  him  who  has  not  taken  refuge  in  time  in  a  shop,  or 
some  sort  of  recess  beyond  reach  of  these  terrible  catapults  !     The 


A  lady  of  Cairo. 


THE    XAHASSDs. 


295 


furious  pendulums  manoeuvre  without  a  pause,  upsetting  horsemen, 

crushing  them  against  the  walls,  jostling  people  on  foot,  overturning 

piles  of  material,  pounding  pentices,  tearing  away  sign1x>ards.     And 

the   impassive  beast  continues  its   disastrous   march   to  the  end  of 

the  Bazaar,  indifferent  to  the  dismay  that  it  produces,  to  the  damage 

it  causes,  to  the  perturbation  it  brings  always  with  it ;  insensible  to 

the  cries,  to  the  maledictions,  to  the 

blows   of  its   victims.      When    these 

frightful    camels    have    passed     the 

disorder  is   repaired,   and  the   street 

resumes   its   usual   appearance,   until 

the  arrival  of  another  caravan,  which 

will  again  put  everything  in  contusion. 
Just   as   Jacques  was  getting  on 

his  donkey,  which  Ahmed  had  been 

leading  by  the  bridle  behind  him,  he 

found  himself  face  to   face  with  his 

landlord  and  One'sime,  who,  as  soon  —  ', 

as  he  had  got  through  his  letters,  had 

come,  under  the  guidance  of  the  former, 
to  find  him. 

Their  host  took  advantage  of  the 
occasion  to  show  them — a  little  too 
rapidly,  unfortunately  —  some  other 
quarters  of  the  Bazaar.  Crossing 
that  of  El-Ghourieh,  swarming  with 
shawls,  cashmeres,  cloths,  muslins, 
from  all  countries,  they  next  inspected 
the  coppersmiths'  gallery,  the  Xa- 
hassin,  a  labyrinth  of  covered  lanes,  extremely  dirty,  horridly 
narrow,  where  you  can  with  difficulty  walk  two  abreast.  In  the  Souk- 
es-Saeegh,  goldsmiths,  Copts  for  the  most  part,  are  squatting  in  their 
miniature  shops,  near  enormous  safes  with  drawers  full  of  jewels. 
Some  are  fashioning  gold  and  silver  articles  on  very  small  anvils  ; 
others   make   necklaces   and  bracelets  sparkle  beneath  the  brilhant, 


Types  of  the  Bazaar. 


296 


THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 


covetous  eyes  of  a  customer"  seated  at  the  edge  of  their  store  ;  a  third 

exhibits  finger  aud  earriugs  iu  gold. 

Here  they  are  at  the  Serougieh,  among  the  saddlers,  embroiderers, 

shoemakers. 

Two  steps  from  there  they  turn  a  street  corner,  aud  are  in  the 

famous  court  of  the 
(^arpet  Bazaar.  It  is 
half  covered  with  mats 
and  shreds  of  cloth  ; 
here,  allowing  a  diffuse, 
soft,  tranquil  light  to 
filter  through  ;  there, 
giving  passage  to  a 
l^owerful  ray  of  the  sun 
falling  firmly  on  the 
scarlet  ground  of  a 
prayer  carpet,  which 
glitters  in  the  stream 
of  brightness.  There 
are  jjiles  of  camel  bags, 
some  of  brilliant  colour, 
others  of  subdued  tones ; 
small  mountains  of 
carpets  come  from  all 
parts  of  the  East.  These 
velvety,  silky  ones,  with 
shades  blended  together, 
come  from  Persia ;  those 
coarser  ones,  with  many 

stripes,    from   Rabat,   Tunis,   Kurdistan ;    these   long    squares,   with 

grounds   of  garance  or  soft  blue,  which   serve   the  disciples  of  the 

Prophet  in  performing  their  devotions,  have  been  woven  at  Smyrna 

or  Bokhara. 

They  leave  this  corner,  so  marvellously  lit  up  with  colour,   with 

regret,  to  go  to  Souk-es-Sullah,  where  all  sorts  of  arms  are  glittering— 


Babowche  Baz:iar. 


Court  of  the  Carpet  Baz:iar. 


ALONG    THE    KHALIG. 


299 


bug  gnus  of  the  Berbers  of  Rif,  with  their  stocks  curled  over,  en- 
veloped with  leather,  ornamented  with  ivory  and  copper  nails,  with 
barrels  enriched  with  numerous  silver  rings  ;  finely  chiselled  bronze 
powder  flasks  from  Persia  ;  pistols,  blunderbusses,  yataghans  ; 
quantities  of  arms,  helmets,  stirrups,  spurs,  incrusted  with  gold ; 
something  of  everything  up  to  the  antique 
blades  of  the  Knights  of  the  Crusades,  to 
which  Arab  handles  have  been  adapted. 

They  return  to  the  Mouski,  then  to 
the  hotel.  After  lunch  Jacques  leaves 
On^sime  at  a  cafe  in  the  Esbekieh,  where 
he  has  commenced  a  series  of  interminable 
games  at  dominoes.  Ahmed  assures  him 
that  to-day  there  is  a  Zikr  of 
Howling  Dervishes  at  Old  Cairo. 
They  go  to  Old  Cairo. 

Instead  of  taking  the  Boulak 
Avenue  and  that  of  Kasr-el-Nil, 
they  follow  the  banks  of  the 
Khalig,  which  are  much  more 
picturesque  than  the  broad 
straight  streets  of  the  Ismailieh 
European  quarter. 

Here  is  a  graceful  Mosque, 
half  lost  among  the  tamarisks  and 
sycamores,  there  a  pretty  Arab 
fountain,  farther  on  an  enormous 
fig  tree  in  the  dilapidated  court- 
yard of  an  old  house,  a  group  of 
women  filling  goulahs,  and  another  of  men  performing  their  ablutions. 
A  fellah  handles  a  shadoaf,  while  a  Berber  consolidates  with  the  hand 
the  sides  of  the  small  trenches  that  convey  water  over  a  bit  of  a  garden 
adjoining  a  hut  of  dried  mud.  A  sakieh,  manoeuvred  by  two  bufi'aloes, 
has  been  perched  on  the  summit  of  a  block  of  masonry  which  soaks  in 
the  water.     There,  you  see  a  house  on  piles,  of  which  the  corbelled 


Fellah  handling  shadouf. 


300  THE  LAND  OF  THE  SPHINX. 

windows,  farnislied  with  mouckarabiehs,  bulge  out  over  the  canal  ; 
through  a  trap  door  in  the  floor  descends  a  pail  to  draw  water  from  the 
Khalig. 

Through  narrow,  barred  openings  in  high  grey  walls  one  perceives 
the  heads  of  women  ;  they  smile,  forgetting  to  hide  their  faces. 

The  bank  is  encumbered  with  bawling  children,  grovelling  in  the 
mud,  rolling  with  the  dogs. 

Voracious,  bearded  vultures,  on  the  wing,  catch  the  refuse,  flung 
out  of  the  windows  into  the  Canal,  as  it  falls  ;  beneath  them  birds 
pursue  dragon  flies. 

Lizards  with  golden  backs,  silvery  bellies,  vsky-blue  tails,  run 
along  bits  of  old  wall,  overgrown  with  the  brambles  of  abandoned 
gardens,  and  great  greyish  rats,  with  long  ringed  tails,  covered  with 
strong,  stifi",  prickly  hair,  run  across  the  path  at  every  moment. 

On  the  wheel  of  an  old  sakieh  out  of  use,  disappearing  amidst  a 
thick  cluster  of  plants  and  shrubs,  jerboas  with  hairy  feet  press 
against  each  other  as  if  in  search  of  warmth,  and  give  utterance  to 
little  cries ;  another,  a  solitary  one,  nibbles  grain  in  the  sun  on  a  lump 
of  stone. 

On  reaching  the  Square,  and  in  front  of  the  Mosque  of  Seideh 
Zeineb,  they  quit  the  banks  of  the  Khalig,  and  follow  a  road  ending  at 
a  gate  bearing  the  name  of  the  Mosque.     They  are  beyond  the  city. 

They  find  the  Canal  again  on  their  right,  but  what  terrible 
desolation  on  the  left !  As  far  as  the  eye  can  see  there  is  nothing  but 
a  succession  of  mounds  of  ruins,  the  remains  of  the  two  towns  which, 
with  Fostat,  were  built  before  Cairo— El-Asker,  in  750 ;  El-Katai,  in 
870.  This  last,  the  capital  of  the  Toulounides,  spreads  around  the 
Mosque  of  Touloun.  The  destruction  of  these  two  places  in  the  reign 
of  Mostansir-Billah  merely  preceded  that  of  Fostat,  which,  in  1168, 
was  burned  by  the  Saracens,  in  the  fear  that  it  might  fall  into  the 
hands  of  the  Crusaders.  It  never  rose  from  its  ashes,  and  from  then 
Cairo,  El-Kahirah,  founded  two  hundred  years  previous  by  Gowher,  a 
general  of  El  Moez,  Fatimite  Sultan  of  Maghreb,  became  the  capital 
of  Egypt,  and  its  houses  grew  up  in  proximity  to  the  Mosque  of 
El-Azhar. 


THE  LEGEND  OF  THE  TENT  OF  AMEOU.  301 

Every  one  lias  heard  of  the  les^end  connected  with  the  buildino- 
of  Fostat.  Amrou,  with  the  assistance  of  the  Copts,  who  at  the  in- 
stigation of  the  traitor  Benjamin,  Archbishop  of  Alexandria,  had  come 
to  swell  the  ranks  of  his  army,  had  just  beaten  the  Byzantine  troops, 
commanded  by  the  Greek  Makaukas  ;  had  captured  Fort  Babylon, 
where  the  remains  of  the  vanquished  forces  were  shut  up,  by  assault  ; 
and,  finally,  had  made  terms  with  Makaukas,  who  had  sought  refuge 
in  the  island  of  Rhoda,  after  his  last  defeat. 

He  then  decided  on  marching  on  Alexandria,  and  gave  orders  to 
strike  his  tent,  erected  near  Fort  Babylon  ;  but  having  learned  that 
a  couple  of  pigeons  had  built  their  nest  at  the  top  of  it,  he  forbade  its 
being  touched,  and  set  out  to  besiege  Alexandria,  which  he  captured 
after  a  gallant  resistance  on  the  part  of  the  inhabitants. 

When  he  returned  to  Fort  Babylon  the  tent  was  still  standing.  It 
was  then  that  he  determined  to  erect  round  its  site  a  new  city,  which 
he  called  Fostat — the  tent. 

The  aqueduct  which  brings  water  to  the  citadel  divides  these  barren 
mounds  at  a  right  angle  with  the  road.  The  numerous  birds  of  prey, 
attracted  by  the  pestilential  smell  of  the  slaughterhouses  placed  in  the 
midst  of  this  arid  steppe,  render  the  aspect  of  the  place  still  more 
ominous.  Mangy,  hairless  dogs  fight  over  heaps  of  offal,  quarrelling 
with  vultures,  so  gorged  with  food  that  they  can  hardly  rise  from  the 
ground,  for  a  few  shreds  of  filth. 

Buzzards,  kites,  whirl  round  with  piercing  screams,  awaiting  the 
moment  to  take  part  in  the  hideous  feast.  And  such  a  horrible  stench 
is  thrown  off  by  this  unclean  banquet,  that  men  hasten  to  reach  the 
head  of  the  aqueduct,  where  the  wind  still  brings  them  weak  puffs  of 
the  nauseous  miasma. 

Donkey  boys  and  camel  drivers,  lying  down  amidst  their  animals 
in  the  shade  of  an  old  sycamore,  do  not  seem  in  the  least  affected  by 
this  sickening  breeze.     They  possess  such  an  eclectic  sense  of  smell  ! 

They  reach  the  first  houses  of  Old  Cairo,  Masr-el-Atikah,  by  an 
avenue  of  tamarisks.  They  pass  beneath  low  arches,  alleys  of  trellis- 
work  overrun  by  vines  ;  here  and  there  a  block  of  stone,  an  overthrown 
column,  encumber  the  roadside.     A  thoroughfare  on  the  right  leads 


203 


THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 


here  to  the  bank  of  the  narrow  arm  of  the  Nile,  which  separates  the 
island  of  Rhoda  from  the  mainland. 

A  little  farther  beyond  the  view  is  admirable.  From  the  bank, 
where  a  number  of  small  boats,  canges,  dahabiehs,  barges,  craft  of 
various  sorts  are  fastened,  the  Nile  extends  in  all  its  majesty  for  a 
considerable  distance  towards  the  south.  On  the  ojiposite 
bank  one  j^erceives,  behind  a  long  curtain  of  dark  palm 
trees,  the  pink  pyramids,  standing  out  against  the  grey- 
blue  sky,  and,  in  the  near  foreground, 
thousands  of  yawls  with  white  sails 
ploughing  the  river  under  the  influence 
of  a  strong  north  wind. 

It  is  the  port  of  Old  Cairo,  very  pic- 
turesque, very  active.  Along  the  quays 
are  hewn  stone,  sacks  of  corn, 
bundles  of  sugar-cane  and 
dourah  ;  the  ground  is  sprinkled 
with  broken  straw;  everywhere 
are  planks,  sleepers,  staved-in 
cases  ;  fastened  to  stakes  stuck 
in  the  mud  are  vessels  un- 
loading. Here,  there  are  two 
craft  joined  together  by  ropes 
and  a  flooring  of  beams,  heaped 
up  to  the  height  of  a  first  floor 
with  pottery.  This  cumbersome 
cargo  is  maintained  by  a  strong 
net  with  large  meshes,  which 
entirely  covers  it.  There  is 
another  double  vessel  containing  a  mountain  of  straw,  a  freight  of 
barley.  Then  there  are  dahabiehs  from  Assouan,  with  goods  and 
passengers  from  Nubia  and  the  Soudan,  a  ferry  passing  between 
Bedrasheen  and  Old  Cairo,  loaded  enough  to  make  the  boat  sink. 
There  is  everything  in  this  Noah's  Ark — fellaheen  men  and  women, 
Bedouins,  negroes,  asses,  camels,  overwhelmed  by  the  weight  of  their 


Types  of  Old  Cairo. 


WITH    THE    HOWLING    DERVISHES. 


303 


bales,  cases,  cages  of  fowls,  koufas  of  fruit.  The  people  all  grnmble, 
and  gesticulate  in  an  inconceivable  way.  A  reis  squabbles  with  his 
sailors,  a  fejlaheen  woman  quarrels  with  the  ferryman,  a  camel  that 
has  got  its  bales  off  its  back  and  is  dragging  them  behind  by  a  cord 
causes  dismay  on  all  sides,  bellows  frightfully,  donkeys  roll  with  their 
saddles  in  the  mud,  and  amidst  this  topsy-tnrvydom  swarms  of  children 
as  naked  as  worms  increase  the  clamour  by  their  deafening  yells. 

They  regain  the  principal  thoroughfare,  and  finally,  quite  at  the 
end  of  the  town,  come  to  the  Tehke  of  the  dervishes  at  the  Mosque. 

A  small  low  door  gives  access  to 
a  spare  garden.  Rose  trees  in  full 
bloom  entwine  their  branches  over  the 
bowers  made  of  reeds  ;  black  currant 
bushes,  with  yellow  flowers,  pome- 
granates, rose-laurels,  grow  every- 
where. One  or  two  tamarisk  trees 
shade  the  courtyard,  at  the  bottom  of 
which  opens  the  very  simple,  very 
dilapidated  door  of  the  Mosque. 

In  this  courtyard  a  strange  creature 
gives  himself  up  to  contortions  while 
pronouncing  the  name  of  Allah.  He 
is  a  negro.  His  head  almost  dis- 
appears beneath  an  immense  white 
turban  surmounted  by  a  yellowish 
rag.  He  is  as  black  as  night,  his 
skin     is     shiny,     his     eyes     sparkle 

strangely,  his  large  half-opened  mouth  permits  of  one  seeing  his 
small  teeth,  which  are  remarkably  white  ;  the  expression  of  ferocity 
and  exaltation  on  his  countenance  is  frightful  to  behold.  On  his 
scarlet  gown,  embroidered  with  gold,  hangs  a  scimitar  enveloped  in 
linen  ;  a  Morocco  djellabah,  with  a  large  hood,  all  patched  with  odd 
jiieces,  covers  his  shoulders.  He  clasps  in  his  hand  a  long  flute,  from 
which  he  from  time  to  time  draws  a  sharp  note. 

At   our  approach   his    haggard   eyes   sparkle  ;    lie   repeats   with 


304 


THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 


ferocious  and  paiiifnl  volubility,  that  almost  resembles  a  sigh,  a  phrase 
iu  which  the  name  of  Allah  occurs  constantly  ;  Ahmed  kisses  the  hem 
of  his  garment.  He  is  mad,  but  quite  inoffensive.  Two  dervishes 
quietly  say  a  few  words  to  him,  which  have  the  effect  of  calming  him, 


^  f 


Panoply  of  arms  in  the  Tikke  of  the  dervishes. 

and  Jacques  enters  the  Mosque,  where  he  joins  some  other  Europeans 
who  are  penned  up  in  an  angle  of  the  Imilding.  A  very  polite  Arab 
offers  him  a  straw-seated  chair. 

There  are  a  dozen  ladies  and  gentlemen.     Some  English  ladies  pull 
out  their  notebooks,  their  diaries,  and  watch  for  their  impressions  as 


THE    DERVISH    MOSQUE. 


805 


they  come,  to  carefully  inscribe  them  tliere,  rigorously,  with  the  date, 
the  exact  hour,  according  to  a  well-regulated  chronometer,  when  this 
important  event  took  place.  Some  elderly  parties  are  accompanied  by 
their  dragomans,  tall,  strapping  Syrians.  They  are  full  of  attention 
for  their  mistresses,  who  thank  them  with  little  movements  of  the 
eyes  that  are  indiscreetly  significative. 

The  room  is  large,  square,  bare.  At  the  angles  plaster  alveoli, 
fashioned  circularly  in  sloping  gradations,  con- 
nect the  plain  parts  with  the  curved ;  a  broad 
frieze  of  a  geometrical  design  serves  as  plinth  to 
the  dome  ;  light  comes  from  rectangular  barred 
windows  placed  above  the  frieze. 

Before  us,  in  a  Gothic  arch  some  feet  deep, 
arranged  in  the  thickness  of  the  wall,  are  hanging 
pikes,  axes,  halberds,  reaping-hooks,  iron  maces, 
chains,  pincers,  spits,  cutlasses — all  the  imple- 
ments of  a  prison  of  the  Inquisition.  In  the  wall 
on  our  left  is  sunk  a  semi-circular  arched  niche, 
the  mirhab,  with  interlaced  work,  ornamented 
at  the  angles  by  two  Doric  columns.  It  may 
measure  four  feet  in  breadth  by  eight  feet  in 
height.  Near  the  left  column  is  a  flowing  green 
flag,  a  corner  of  the  material  being  secured  by 
a  nail  fixed  in  the  wall ;  on  the  other  side  are 
displayed  a  series  of  squares  of  cardboard,  on 
which  are  written  quotations  from  the  Koran. 

A  dervish  with  fine,  regular  features  stands 
erect  before  the  mirhab.  He  wears  a  tall,  round 
black  sugar-loaf  hat  on  his  head,  surrounded  at  the  base  by  a  turban 
wound  very  tight,  and  is  clothed  in  a  long  dark  floating  gown,  very 
full,  open  down  the  front.  A  second  gown,  underneath,  of  mauve 
silk,  shows,  at  the  top,  the  points  of  his  jacket  of  a  tender  blue  ; 
below  it,  the  ends  of  his  orange-coloured  trousers.  He  grasps  a 
small  flute  in  his  elegant,  well-taken-care-of  hand  ;  from  time  to  time 
he  carries  it  to  his  lips,  produces  from  it  a  soft,  ethereal  note,  and 

20 


<5^. 


A  dervish. 


306 


THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 


indicates  on  the  sjiot  a  giddj-  turn  of  waltz,  in  a  space  no  larger  than  a 
crown  piece. 

Beside  him  the  musicians  tr}'  their  instruments.  One  is  squatting 
down,  a  darahouka  between  his  legs  ;  another,  standing,  strikes  with 
his  fingers  on  a  sort  of  large  flat  drum  ;  a  third  is  on  his  knees  before 
a  tambourine,  which  he  beats  with  a  pair  of  small  sticks  rounded  at  the 
ends  ;  the  fourth,  seated  on  a  small  form,  blows  in  a  clarionet  or 
hautbois.  Behind  these  are  three  or  four  other  musicians  with 
cymbals,  viols,  rebecks. 

Around  them,  in  a  semi-circle,  the  arms  falling  at  the  sides,  stand 

some  thirty  howling  dervishes  in  long 
gowns  of  different  colours,  fastened 
tight  round  the  waist  with  a  red  silk 
sash  ;  for  head-gear  green,  white, 
bright  crimson  turbans,  fezzes,  tar- 
boushes,  woollen  or  linen  caps.  Their 
babouches  are  behind  them  on  the 
mats ;  they  have  naked  feet,  and  one 
sees  the  bottoms  of  their  trousers,  that 
descend  to  the  ankle.  Most  of  them 
have  hair  of  extraordinary  length,  dyed 
with  henna  and  falling  to  their  knees. 
They  are  of  all  ages. 
At  a  signal  from  the  chief,  who  turns  slowly  round  with  his  arms 
crossed  on  his  breast,  the  musicians  play  a  dull,  strange,  jDlaintively 
modulated  melody.  The  dervishes  all  uncover  at  the  same  moment, 
and,  bending  the  loins,  balance  themselves  slowly  at  first,  from  front 
to  back,  in  one  general  movement,  pronouncing  in  time  at  each  jerk  the 
name  of  "  Allah  !  "  Little  by  little  the  swinging  motion  is  accelerated, 
the  voices  are  raised,  the  see-saw  motion  is  accentuated  still  more,  the 
voices  burst  out.  At  intervals  the  shrill,  sharp,  piercing  note  of 
the  little  flute  is  heard  above  the  sound  of  this  rumbling  wave,  starts 
like  an  arrow,  and  seems  to  jDenetrate  the  flesh ;  th^  cymbals  ring- 
amidst  the  hollow  roll  of  the  daraboukas.  The  oscillations  become 
precipitate,   the    voices   hoarse ;    then,   finally,   in   the   paroxysm    of 


Howlins'  dervish. 


THE    HOWLING    DERVISHES 


307 


intense  excitement  produced  by  this  music,  the  broken,  wild  rhythm 
of  which  acts  powerfully  on  their  nerves,  a  prey  to  savage,  delirious 
exaltation,  furious,  white  with  foam,  out  of  their  wits,  almost  rattling, 


v.',"-:r  ./K.-. 


Howling  dervish. 


they  twist  themselves  in  frightful  contortions,  and  always  with  that 
regulated,  terrible,  bewildering,  all-together  swing.  Their  bodies  bend 
fearfully ;  their  hair  whips  the  air,  sweeps  the  ground  ;  the  voices  yell 


308  THE    LAND    OF    THE    SrHINX. 

the  name  of  Allah  in  a  scanned  measure,  a  threatening  roar,  going 
always  crescendo. 

The  ladies  with  the  pocket-books  have  found  the  performance 
shocking  and  the  howling  dervishes  disgusting,  which  does  not  j^revent 
one  of  them,  on  leaving,  from  dexterously  taking  a  pair  of  scissors 
from  her  pocket  and  cutting  a  lock  from  the  mane  of  one  of  the 
dervishes  on  the  sly — a  souvenir,  to  corroborate  the  impressions. 
The  ladies  with  the  dragomans  have  almost  fainted  in  the  arms  of 
their  Mamelukes.  They  depart,  very  much  affected,  very  red,  sup- 
ported by  these  handsome  men,  strij)ed  from  head  to  foot  with 
gold  lace. 

The  company  walk  in  the  little  garden.  Dervishes  are  seated 
beneath  the  trellis-work  smoking  cigarettes,  drinking  tea ;  they  oflPer 
some  to  the  visitors.  Those  of  the  zikr  are  not  long  in  making  their 
appearance.  They  are  calm,  smiling  ;  not  a  single  drop  of  perspiration 
falls  from  their  bronzed  faces ;  their  hands  do  not  tremble  ;  the 
breathing  is  regular,  the  voice  clear  ;  they  are  in  perfect  possession  of 
their  faculties.  One  can  hardly  realise  it  after  their  violent  gymnastic 
exercise  of  a  little  while  ago. 

At  the  moment  of  leaving,  Jacques  thanks  the  chief  of  the 
dervishes,  who,  with  the  grand  manners  of  people  of  his  race,  offers 
him  a  delicious  cup  of  Persian  tea,  perfumed  with  peppermint,  in  a 
crystal  cup.  He  is  exquisitely  polite,  even  refined.  He  escorts  Jacques 
to  his  donkey,  gives  him  a  final  and  very  courteous  greeting,  crossing 
his  two  hands  on  his  chest ;  and  Jacques,  with  his  donkey  and  donkey 
boy,  makes  his  way  towards  the  Mosque  of  Amrou. 

Ahmed  points  out  to  him,  on  their  left,  a  block  of  houses,  sur- 
rounded by  high  walls  pierced  by  gates.  It  is  the  old  Coptic  town, 
and  the  fortifications  enclosing  it  are  those  of  ancient  Babylon,  the 
fortress  where  Rameses  II.  detained  his  Assyrian  captives,  where 
the  Roman  legion  entrusted  with  the  duty  of  holding  Egypt  under 
the  domination  of  the  Caesars  was  garrisoned. 

They  advance  towards  one  of  the  entrances  of  this  refuge  of 
Egyptians  who  have  remained  Christians.  The  gate  is  more  than 
a  foot  thick.     It   is   a   rampart  rolling  on  hinges.     The  streets  are 


THE    COPTIC    TOWN   AND    CHURCH.  309 

singularly  narrow,  damp,  dark,  and  repulsively  dirty.  The  light 
hardly  passes  through  these  lofty  walls,  which  almost  touch  each 
other.  They  are  bored  with  barred  openings  in  the  form  of  loopholes. 
Disjointed  moucharabiehs  hang  threatening  above  your  head;  vou 
dabble  in  nauseous  pools,  slip  over  putrefying  offal  ;  you  burst  the 
expanded  bellies  of  dead  cats  with  a  tread,  and  horrible  stenches 
exhale  from  this  uncleanness. 

It  is  with  difficulty  that  one  is  able  to  make  a  way  among  the 
ragged  children  eaten  up  with  vermin,  with  bad  eyes,  and  a  complexion 
the  colour  of  lead.  They  follow  you,  rub  against  you,  slip  between 
your  legs,  touch  your  clothes  with  an  over-hasty  movement,  eagerly 
feeling  your  pockets. 

Tall,  thin,  veiled  women,  with  hard  features,  foreheads  tattooed 
with  a  blue  cross,  eyebrows  blackened  with  koheul,  lean  against  the 
wall  with  the  stiffness  of  statues  to  allow  you  to  pass,  the  eyes  fixed, 
the  hands  extended.  Old,  sordid  men,  with  black  or  blue  turbans, 
exhibit  repulsive  ulcers  to  excite  compassion.  From  all  these  rises  a 
vile,  stuffy  smell  that  makes  you  feel  sick.  One  hastens  to  escape 
from  such  ambient  corruption. 

After  ten  minutes'  walk  in  a  labyrinth  of  streets,  an  inextricable 
entanglement  of  courts,  crossways,  blind  alleys,  they  pass  under  some 
arches,  and  halt  before  a  barrier  of  disjointed  planks — the  entrance  to 
the  Coptic  church  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  Sidi  Miriam,  and  the  guardian 
shows  them  in. 

It  is  lugubrious,  black,  dirty.  Partitions  in  tolerably  well- worked 
wooden  mosaic  separate  the  three  naves,  formed  by  a  double  row  of 
columns,  from  the  edifice,  built  in  a  basilic  form.  Niches  in  the  walls, 
incrustations  of  mother-of-pearl  and  ivory  on  the  woodwork,  polished 
by  time  and  the  backs  of  the  faithful,  heads  of  apostles  painted  on 
a  gold  ground,  in  the  Byzantine  style,  Greek  crosses,  and  that  is  all, 
with  a  close,  sharp,  dry,  penetrating  smell  and  the  vile  uncleanliness 
that  is  general. 

Jacques  gives  the  hoab  a  few  piastres,  and  they  get  out  of  this 
mellah  quickly,  followed  by  the  clamonr  of  the  inhabitants  demanding 
baksheesh. 


310  THE  LAND  OF  THE  SPHINX. 

At  last  they  are  in  the  open  air  ;  they  breathe,  and  soon  come 
before  the  Mosque  of  Amroii,  the  Gam-'a-Amr,  the  first  mosque  built 
by  the  Arabs  in  Egypt  in  the  year  21  of  the  Hegira.  It  is  the  most 
complete  type  of  Arab  art  at  its  origin,  the  most  faithful  representa- 
tion of  the  primitive  mosque. 

From  the  outside,  this  square,  grey,  powdery  mass,  flanked  by 
its  two  minarets  ending  in  points,  having  only  one  gallery,  is  im- 
posing in  its  simplicity. 

A  door  in  the  form  of  a  trefoil  leaf,  surmounted  by  an  ogival 
window,  opens  under  one  of  the  minarets  into  a  first  court.  When 
you  enter  the  second  immense  court,  surrounded  by  its  galleries, 
its  forests  of  columns,  you  feel  penetrated  by  the  magnitude  of  the 
conception  which  presided  at  the  erection  of  this  monument  of  the 
piety  of  the  first  believers,  and  very  much  struck  by  the  great 
silence,  the  absolute  solitude,  that  reigns  here. 

The  colonnades,  with  three  rows  of  pillars  on  the  north  and 
south  sides,  are  half  in  ruin,  and  on  the  west  there  remains  only 
one  arcade.  The  sanctuary  is  against  the  facade,  turned  towards 
the  east,  facing  Mecca.  These  interminable  straight  lines,  through 
which  an  attenuated  light  sports  with  efi'ects  of  shade  and  brightness 
of  an  harmonious  soft  grey,  produce  within  you  a  singular  sensation 
of  calm,  repose,  reflection. 

All  these  columns  of  a  single  piece  of  granite,  of  marble  or 
porphyry,  of  different  sizes  and  forms,  were  torn  from  the  Greek 
and  Roman  temples  of  Heliopolis  and  Memphis,  and  set  up  in- 
differently as  to  style.  A  Corinthian  capital  faces  an  Ionic  volute, 
a  composite  one  adjoins  a  Doric ;  some  of  the  columns  have  even 
been  placed  head  downwards,  the  capital  serving  as  a  base  ;  others, 
too  short,  have  been  raised  by  a  stone  socle.  An  entire  scaffolding 
of  beams,  fixed  in  between  the  stones  of  the  arches,  serves  to  maintain 
this  multitude  of  pillars. 

Ahmed  conducts  Jacques  to  the  middle  of  the  sanctuary,  near 
the  mirhab  and  mimbar,  in  carved  wood,  where  stands  the  famous 
column  bearing  a  white  vein,  which  passes  for  being  the  mark  of 
the  courbash  of  the  Khalif  Omar. 


Mu^'^uo  lI  A:, 


THE    LEGEND    OF    OMAR.  313 

This,  according-  to  tradition,  is  how  the  thing  happened.  The 
Khalif  Omar  was  reciting  his  evening  prayer  at  Mecca.  When  he 
had  ended,  his  thoughts  went  to  Amron,  who  was  buildino-  the 
Mosqne  by  his  orders.  He  gazed  in  the  direction  of  Cairo,  and  per- 
ceived that  one  of  the  piUars  just  set  up  in  the  edifice  was  wanting 
in  stability  and  badly  dressed.  The  Commander  of  the  Faithful 
immediately  ordered  a  column  lying  at  his  feet  to  go  to  Fostat.  It 
trembled,  but  did  not  quit  the  ground  ;  at  the  second  injunction  it 
slightly  oscillated,  without,  however,  making  up  its  mind  to  leave. 
The  Khalif,  irritated,  struck  it  with  his  courbash,  exclaiming  :  "  In 
the  name  of  the  all-powerful  and  merciful  God,  go  !  "  This  time 
the  obedient  column  moved,  and,  launching  into  space,  came  and 
stood  in  the  place  of  the  defective  pillar. 

In  the  sanctuary  Ahmed  also  shows  the  columns  of  the  ordeal — 
a  magnificent  pair  standing  pretty  close  together.  He  passes  between 
the  two  shafts  with  tolerable  ease,  and  urges  Jacques  to  follow  his 
example.  The  latter  hesitates  to  make  the  trial,  for  while  he  does 
not  possess  the  circular  amplitude  of  Onesime,  he  has  not  the  thin 
spine  of  a  house-top  cat  like  Ahmed.  It  appears  that  it  is  only 
true  Believers  who  can  undergo  the  ordeal  victoriously.  If  such  be 
the  case,  there  must  be  a  multitude  of  lean  people  in  Mahomet's 
Paradise. 

In  the  south-east  angle  of  the  Mosque  rests  the  body  of  Amrou 
in  a  rectangular  stone  tomb,  beneath  a  pointed  top,  supported  by 
small  slender  columns. 

In  the  centre  of  the  immense  bare  court  one  jjerceives,  like  an 
oasis  in  the  desert,  the  fountain  for  ablutions,  quite  diminutive, 
with  its  palm  tree  and  cluster  of  acacias, 

Ahmed  endeavours  to  make  Jacques  understand,  with  a  great 
many  gestures  and  a  few  French  words,  that  this  fountain  commimi- 
cates  with  the  Zem-Zem  well  at  Mecca.  As  a  proof  in  sujjport 
of  it,  he  assures  him,  by  the  beard  of  the  Prophet,  that  pilgrims 
from  Cairo  having,  one  day,  while  on  a  pilgrimage  to  the  Holy  City, 
let  fall  a  chaplet  in  the  said  well,  found  it  on  their  return  in  the 
fountain  for  ablutions  of  the  Mosque  of  Amrou. 


314 


THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 


Jacques  gives  Ahmed  to  understand  that  he  is  quite  of  his  opinion, 
that  it  is  beginning  to  get  late,  and  that  if  they  wish  to  get  back 
before  night  they  have  no  time  to  lose.  Then,  digging  with  his 
heels  on  both  sides,  he  returns  to  Cairo  by  the  Gate  of  El  Karafeh, 
the  Mahomet  Ali  Square  and  Boulevard,  and  reaches  the  Esbekieh 
just  as  the  caf(5s  are  being  lit  up  for  the  evening. 


Tombs  of  the  Mamelukes. 


CHAPTER  XIY 


The  Bazaars  again, — The  way  On^sime  operates. — The  munstan  of  Kalaoun  and  his 
Mosque. — That  of  Nas'r-Mohammed. — Round  about  the  Mosques. — The  per- 
fumery bazaar. — An  old  quarter. — The  tombs  of  the  Mamelukes. — El-Achraf- 
Ynal.  —  El-Ghouri.  —  El-Barkouk.  —  El-Achraf-Barsebai.  —  Kait-Bey.  —  The 
Mosque  of  El-Azhar. — The  Boulak  Avenue. — The  snake  charmer. — The  animal 
showman. — The  Boulak  Museum. — The  rooms  in  the  Museum. — The  mummies 
of  Deir-el-Behari. — Fabulous  antiquity  of  the  Egyptians. — The  Boulak  Port. 
— The  island  of  Ghezireh. — The  Ghezireh  drive. — They  leave  for  Upper  Egypt. 

DURING  the  two  weeks  that  have  passed  since  the  Doctor  left, 
Jacques  and  Onesime  have  done  nothing  but  trot  from  one  to 
the  other  of  the  four  cardinal  corners  of  Cairo.  They  think  each  time 
that  they  have  seen  everything,  and  every  day  discover  something  new 
that  requires  their  attention. 

Their  favourite  promenade  is  the  Bazaar.  Every  one  knows  them 
there  ;  they  are  welcomed  with  affable  politeness  and  many  bows ;  are 
offered  innumerable  cups  of  tea,  and  shown  wonderful  things.  First  of 
all,  they  are  asked  exaggerated  sums  ;  it  is  the  custom,  and  they  are 
caught  like  every  one  else.  It  is  a  sort  of  tax  levied  on  ingenuousness, 
the  first  surprise  of  the  newly  disembarked.  But,  little  by  little,  they 
discuss,  bargain,  the  pretensions  are  lowered,  and  now  they  pay  reason- 
able prices,  about  the  same  as  those  of 'the  country. 

315 


316 


THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 


Onesime  has  a  wonderfnlh'  smart  way  of  doing  business  to  the  seller's 
advantage.  On  the  other  hand,  Jacques,  ever  since  he  was  so  outrage- 
ously robbed  in  a  transaction  at  the  commencement,  will  not  hear  of  any 
more  bargaining.  This  is  very  humiliating  for  his  companion,  but  so 
it  is.  He  gossips  for  hours  with  the  dealers,  who  all  understand  a  few 
words  of  French,  offers  them  cigarettes,  inquires  after  their  family,  gives 

them  some  advice  ou  matters  of 
hygiene,  instils  his  good  humour 
into  them,  and  dazzles  them  with 
his  superb  verbosity.  Finally, 
he  proves  to  them,  what  they 
know  already  very  well,  that 
their  goods  are  frightfully  over- 
priced, places  in  their  hands  the 
third  of  the  sum  asked  for, 
gravely  takes  possession  of  the 
purchased  article,  hands  it  to 
Hassan,  who  promptly  slips  it 
into  his  leather  bag,  and  con- 
tinues the  conversation  unmoved, 
deaf  to  the  protests  of  the  vendor. 
The  dealers  are  naturally  a  little 
surprised  at  this  off-hand  way  of 
ending  the  difference  ;  but  the 
purchaser,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  has 
at  least  given  the  value  of  the 
article,  and  as  they  are  good 
customers,  there  is  laughter  on 
both  sides,  and  the  matter  is  settled  pleasantly. 

This  morning  they  are  taking  their  usual  turn  in  the  Bazaar,  and  are 
going  to  pay  a  visit  to  the  mosque  and  moristan  of  Kalaoun  and  Nas'r 
Mohammed. 

This  group  of  monuments  in  the  midst  of  Khan-el-Khalil  is  most 
picturesque.  From  the  exterior  the  mosque  looks  very  pretty,  with  its 
lofty  walls  striped  red  and  white,  surmounted  by  its  imposing  minaret, 


Door  of  the  Mosque  of  Kalaoun. 


A  street  of  the  Bazaar. 


THE    MOSQUE    OF    KALAOUN. 


319 


rather  bulky,  with  superposed  terraces,  square  at  the  base  with  an 
octagonal  terrace,  and  ending  by  a  cylindric  drum  with  a  circular 
gallery.  The  bewitching  arabesques  of  the  drum,  the  delicacy  of  the 
elegant  open  sculpture  of  the  balconies,  atone  for  the  rather  heavy 
aspect  of  the  building  as  a"  whole.  A  display  of  charming  ideas, 
arranged  with  undoubted 
taste,  affords  ample  com- 
pensation for  the  irregularity 
in  the  plan  of  the  edifice. 

You  enter  by  a  high  door 
giving  access  to  both  the 
mosque  and  the  hospital. 

The  mosque  is  decorated 
with  more  extravagance 
than  art.  An  octagonal 
canopy,  supported  by  slender 
marble  columns,  covers  the 
old  Sultan's  body.  Finely 
carved  wooden  railings  sur- 
round the  tomb.  Visits  are 
paid  to  the  relics  of  Kalaoun: 
his  turban  which  heals  head- 
aches, his  silk  kaftan  which 
drives  away  fevers,  his 
leathern  belt  which  brings 
back  luck  to  the  penniless. 
Women  come  to  ask  him 
for  male  children  ;  mothers 
bring  their  babes  in  order 
that  they  may  speak  early. 

On  leaving,  under  the  arcades,  groups  of  fellaheen  men  and  women 
and  Arabs  argue  in  a  lively  way  with  lawyers  ;  a  public  writer,  installed 
on  the  shaft  of  an  overturned  column,  seems  very  busy  with  the  clients 
.surrounding  him. 

The  hospital,  the  moristan,  situated  behind  the  mosque  and  tomb, 


J 

1 

1 

m 

i^ 

^^^^7  ^jpm;«^^H 

'  fr 

._..J 

^f 

^pU"' 

A  iniblic  writer. 


320 


THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 


is  connected  with  these  buildings.  They  do  not  enter  it  :  the  place  is 
very  well  conducted,  they  are  told,  and  has  accommodation  for  about  a 
hundred  i)atients.  Lunatics  were  also  shut  up  there  at  one  time  in 
rooms  set  apart  :  they  have  now  a  special  house  at  Boulak. 

The  streets  bordering  on  the  mosque  are  very  much  frequented  and 
encumbered  by  ambulant  dealers.  Here  a  country  woman  is  squatting 
down  between  a  cage  of  fowls  and  a  basket  of  eggs  ;  there  is  an  old 

Jew,  who  is  seated  on  a  boundary 
stone,  a  bundle  of  sticks  on  his 
knees  ;  farther  on  a  Syrian,  his 
head  wrapped  up  in  a  coloured 
handkerchief,  is  selling  a  moja  ; 
there  is  a  cake-seller  in  a  blue 
gown,  or  a  confectioner  with  his 
urchin  customers  weighino-  out  a 
few  ounces  of  nougat.  An 
auctioneer,  bowed  down  beneath 
the  weight  of  garments  and  things 
of  all  sorts,  moves  about  with  his 
eyes  and  ears  on  the  alert  :  he 
almost  disappears  under  his  goods. 
With  three  or  four  rugs  on  his 
head  ;  a  piece  of  clothing  rolled 
round  his  neck  ;  carpets,  jackets^ 
embroidered  stuffs,  on  his  arms ; 
chains,  bracelets,  pistols,  in  his 
hands,  he  accosts  you,  follows  you 
for  whole  hours,  leaves  you  for  another  customer,  rejoins  you,  begs, 
insists,  asks  exorbitant  prices,  reduces  them  a  little,  more  still,  and 
ends,  while  laughing,  gesticulating,  bawling  as  loud  as  he  jjossibly  can, 
by  selling  you  something,  and  often  at  a  moderate  price.  Groups  of 
Bedouins  walk  along  indifferently,  carrying  antelopes'  and  rams'  horns 
on  their  shoulders,  which  hook  you  as  they  j^ass. 

At  the  perfumery  bazaar,  near  here,  women,    seated   on   a  form 
before  a  shop,  talk  a  great  deal,  purchase  little,  and  gaze  eagerly  when 


The  perfumery  bazaar. 


Tombs  of  the  Mamelukes. 


21 


THE  TOMBS  OF  THE  MAMELUKES.  323 

a  European  of  the  fair  sex  happens  to  come  along.  The  shopkeepers, 
almost  all  Persians,  the  eyes  enlarged  by  antimony,  the  heard  soft  and 
carefully  combed  and  trimmed,  attired  in  silk  gowns,  with  pointed  hats 
on  their  heads,  perfumed,  obsequious,  are  smoking  cigarettes,  extended 
on  soft  carpets. 

Beside  the  moristan  rises  the  mosque  containing  the  tomb  of 
Nas'r  Mohammed,  sou  of  Kalaouu.  Its  elegant  gateway,  of  a  Gothic 
aspect,  is  remarkable  ;  the  harmonious  lines  of  its  minaret,  covered 
with  arabesques,  surrounded  by  well-sculptured  galleries,  stand  out  in 
bold  profile  of  a  fine  mould. 

The  two  friends  leave  the  Bazaar  to  visit  the  Necropolis  of  Kait- 
Bey,  commonly,  but  improperly,  termed  the  tombs  of  the  Khalifs. 

The  real  site  of  the  sepulchre  of  the  Eyoubite  Khalifs,  independent 
sovereigns  of  Egypt  from  the  ninth  to  the  twelfth  century,  was  rather 
where  the  Khan  Khalil  now  stands.  When  the  Bazaar  was  built 
under  the  Baharite  Mamelukes,  the  tombs  and  the  remains  they 
covered  were  carried  outside  the  city,  and  thrown  pell-mell  amongst 
the  ruins.  An  exception  was  made  for  that  of  Es-Salah-Eyoub,  the 
last  sovereign  but  one  of  the  Eyoubite  dynasty.  His  son  was  assassi- 
nated by  the  chief  of  his  guard,  El-Moez,  the  founder  of  the  family  of 
the  Baharite  Mamelukes. 

To  get  to  the  Necropolis,  Jacques  and  On^sime  follow  the  zigzag 
of  very  narrow  streets,  excessively  peopled,  of  a  (quarter  that  has 
preserved  all  its  physiognomy  of  other  times  almost  intact.  There  are 
delicately  sculptured  gateways,  very  well  preserved  moucharabiehs  dis- 
playing charming  fancy,  corbels  supported  by  beams  worked  with  perfect 
art,  the  edges  of  which  are  as  sharp  and  neat  as  if  they  had  just  left 
the  hands  of  the  sculptor,  and  a  large  stirring,  active,  gay  population. 

One  never  tires  of  admiring  the  expressive  features  of  these 
bronzed,  energetic,  meek,  dreamy,  and  never  vulgar  heads — or  con- 
templating the  light  gait,  the  easy  movements,  the  assured  step,  of 
these  figures  full  of  irresistible  charm. 

The  desert  commences  at  the  Gate  of  El-Nas'r.  After  a  short 
laborious  walk  in  the  sand,  where  the  asses  sink  in  noiselessly  to  the 
middle  of  the  legs,  they  are  in  the  Necropolis  of  Kait-Bey. 


324 


THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 


The  impression  felt  at  the  grandiose  spectacle  of  these  rows  of 
mosques,  these  tombs  full  of  harmonious  lines,  with  ornaments  of 
exquisite  delicacy,  elegant  minarets,  cupolas  of  so  pure  a  curve,  is 
indelible;  and  when  the  setting  sun  illuminates  these  marvels  of 
architecture  by  a  final  beam,  the  lofty  walls  glitter  with  tones  of  purple 
and  gold,  the  slender  minarets  are  lit  up,  the  angles  of  their  balconies 

catch  the  light  that  glides 
along  the  sculpture,  accentuat- 
ing the  reliefs,  deepening  the 
shades,  and  the  cupolas, 
beneath  the  network  of  their 
lace  arabesques,  sparkle  with 
a  myriad  of  flashes. 

In  face  of  the  splendour  of 
these  ruins,  crumbling  slowly 
beneath  the  action  of  centuries 
and  the  carelessness  of  man, 
amidst  the  incomprehensible  in- 
difference of  the  descendants  of 
those  who  built  them,  one  feels 
an  unutterable  melancholy. 

Ouesime  himself,  who  is  not 
very  easily  moved,  is  slightly 
touched,  no  doubt  out  of 
sympathy  for  his  friends  the 
Sultans. 

"  I  do  not  know,"  he 
remarks  to  Jacques,  "but  in 
contemplating  these  masterpieces  which  are  hopelessly  lost,  I  feel 
something  undefinable  like  sadness." 

"  We  are  in  mourning  for  these  monuments,  the  ruin  of  which  is 
near  at  hand." 

"  As  one  weeps  beforehand   for  a  friend  whom  the  doctors  have 
given  over — isn't  it  so  ?  " 
"  Somethino^  like  that." 


The  Gate  of  El-Nas'r. 


THE    MOSQUE    OF    EL-BAEKOUK.  325 

"  Bah  I     After  all,  the  responsibility  rests  with  the  Arabs." 

"  With  the  Arabs  !  "  says  Jacques,  shrugging  his  shoulders  ;  "  why, 
they  are  children,  the  Arabs,  and  consequently  irresponsible,  and  it  is 
to  us  that  belongs  the  duty  of  elevating  this  race." 

"  Its  monuments  first  of  all ;  for  if  we  do  not  very  soon  o-ive  these 
poor  old  things  crutches,  they  will  not  last  very  long,"  answers 
Onesime,  "  and  that  is  the  effect  of  the  stick  on  the  backbone  of  a 
nation— it  softens  it.  Ah  !  those  beggarly  Pharaohs,  those  inventors 
of  the  stick  and  the  way  to  use  it,  as  our  dear  Doctor  pretends  that 
they  invented  everything,  if  I  had  hold  of  them " 

Pending  the  moment  when  Onesime  would  get  hold  of  the 
Pharaohs,  the  friends  continue  across  the  Necropolis.  On  the  way 
Onesime  stops  before  the  Mosque  of  El-Achraf-Ynal,  attached  to  that 
of  El-Ghouri  by  a  long  wall  broken  up  by  openings  ;  its  pretty  minaret 
in  floors  and  graceful  cupola  have  bewitched  him. 

Here  they  are  facing  the  vast  and  splendid  Mosque  of  El-Barkouk, 
the  glorious  Sultan  who,  on  two  occasions,  stopped  the  Mogul  Timour- 
Leng  in  his  victorious  march.  The  opposition  between  the  severe  lines 
of  its  lofty  walls,  with  layers  of  red  and  white  stone,  crowned  by 
loopholes  in  the  form  of  the  trefoil  leaf,  and  the  elegant  silhouettes  of 
its  two  minarets  of  diiferent  form  built  up  in  floors,  joined  one  to  the 
other  by  intelligently  combined  corbels,  has  a  most  happy  effect. 

The  court,  fall  of  rubbish,  plants,  brambles,  with  its  fountain  for 
ablutions  in  ruins  in  the  centre,  presents  a  grand  aspect  with  its 
surrounding  of  porticoes.  Those  on  the  west  form  two  rows  of  galleries, 
those  on  the  north  and  south  only  one,  and  those  of  the  sanctuary  on 
the  east  three,  with  six  pillars  each.  The  mimbar,  in  deliciously-cut 
stone,  is  a  marvel. 

The  room  where  the  tomb  is  has  the  lower  part  of  its  walls  covered 
with  marble ;  it  contains  the  stone  mausoleum,  very  simple,  surrounded 
by  a  delicately  worked  balustrade  of  wood.  The  angles  are  connected 
with  the  curved  parts  by  pendentives,  which  slope  up  in  stages  to  join 
the  base  of  the  roof.  The  dome  has  a  charming  eflect,  with  its  windows 
flanked  by  ornaments,  its  interlaced  work,  its  bands  of  Cufic  letters. 

They  pass  by  the  half-ruined  Mosque  of  El-Achraf-Barsebai  without 


326  THE  LAND  OF  THE  SPHINX. 

entering  ;  its  minaret,  devoid  of  any  ornament,  has  little  interest,  but 
its  cupola  is  very  pretty,  and  sculptured  with  great  refinement. 

A  moment  afterwards  they  find  themselves  in  a  poor  dilapidated 
village  with  low  mud  houses.  Along  the  street  are  a  few  shops  with 
rags  hanging  from  their  pentices,  and  orange-sellers  ;  in  the  square 
camels  lying  down,  asses,  tattered  children,  old  men  seated  on  a  form 
of  dried  earth,  the  frontage  of  a  low  coff'ee-house,  and  facing  them  the 
Mosque  of  Kait-Bey  commanding  all  the  village.  It  is  with  difficulty 
that  from  the  narrow  square  one  tries  to  get  a  general  view  of  the 
monument,  which  is  surrounded  by  hideous  buildings,  and  so  to  form 
an  idea  of  the  beauty  of  its  proportions. 

Its  graceful  cupola  is  charming,  with  the  relief  of  its  network  of 
arabesques;  and  its  minaret,  shooting  up  with  its  projections,  its  offsets, 
its  endless  embroidery  on  stone,  its  balconies,  has  a  boldness,  a  purity 
of  line,  that  are  surprising. 

A  staircase  with  disjointed  steps  leads  to  a  high  door,  which  recalls, 
on  a  small  scale,  that  of  the  Mosque  of  Sultan  Hassan.  The  interior 
court,  open  to  the  elements,  is  all  paved  with  marble  mosaics,  and 
conamunicates  with  the  sanctuary,  a  step  higher,  by  a  beautiful  horse- 
shoe arch.  The  ceiling  of  the  sanctuary  is  carved,  painted,  and  gilded 
wood,  in  exquisite  taste  ;  the  rose-windows  are  cut  in  the  massive 
stone  in  rare  perfection.  But  all  this  is  falling  in  ruins,  is  crumbling 
away  bit  by  bit,  like  everything  in  the  East. 

On  their  return  to  the  square,  Onesime  sends  Ahmed  and  Hassan 
to  fetch  cofi'ee,  which  is  drunk  without  quitting  the  stirrups,  and  they 
re-enter  Cairo  at  the  fall  of  night  by  the  Gate  of  El-Ghoraib. 

The  next  morning  they  are  strolling  again  in  the  Bazaar.  They 
go  there  quite  naturally,  by  instinct,  as  a  clerk  goes  to  his  office. 
They  exchange  politenesses  with  their  acquaintances,  majestic  old  men, 
very  cunning,  in  pink,  lemon-coloured,  or  pistachio-green  silk  gowns  ; 
or  filthy,  shrewd,  wily  Jews  :  they  absorb  a  number  of  cups  of  tea  and 
cofi'ee.     Ondsime  does  business. 

They  are  now  going  to  visit  the  Mosque  of  El-Azhar,  "  the 
splendid  "  ;  one  of  their  friends  in  the  cloth  bazaar  has  ofiered  to  take 
them  there. 


Tomb  of  Kait-Bey. 


THE    MOSQUE    OF    EL-AZHAB. 


329 


Originally  founded  by  Gowher-el-Kaid,  the  general  of  the  Fatimite 
Sultan  of  Maghreb,  El-Moez,  in  the  year  970,  it  was  later  on  rebuilt  and 
successively  increased  in  size  at  different  periods  by  the  Sultans 
Bibars,  Kait-Bey,  and  El-Ghouri.  It  has  always  preserved  the 
double  character  of  a 
mosque  and  university, 
which  it  possessed  from  its 
foundation,  when  the  Khalif 
Aziz  -  Billah  endowed  a 
college  there.  The  reputa- 
tion of  its  schools,  directed 
by  the  most  celebrated 
doctors  in  theology  and 
Mussulman  law,  was 
universal,  and  even  now 
students  flock  to  it  from 
all  parts  of  the  world. 

It  is  here  that  they  still 
warm  up  the  fanaticism  of 
the  neophytes  to  white 
heat  ;  here  that  the  pass- 
word is  received  by  the 
chiefs  of  certain  sects,  who 
then  disperse  among  all 
the  convents,  the  zaouias 
of  the  Mussulman  world, 
the  affiliated  of  which — 
the  merhouts — by  their  in- 
flamed preaching  excite 
the  populations,  and  pro- 
voke those  constant  religious  risings,  so  terribly  repressed  by  the 
ruling  Powers. 

They  soon  perceive  the  minarets  of  the  mosque,  and  a  narrow  street 
brings  them  to  the  principal  door,  recently  restored.  Their  guide 
enters  first  of  all,  and  returns  a  few  moments  afterwards  with  a  sheikh, 


t   El-Azhur. 


330 


THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 


whose  presence  will  spare  them  a  host  of  difficulties :  after  au  exchange 
of  greetings,  they  follow  him. 

Two  sanctuaries  open  on  either  side  of  the  entrance  passage,  which 
leads  to  a  first  and  very  small  court,  where  the  students,  squatting  down 
on  mats,  are  being  shaved.     From  there  they  pass  into  the  grand  court, 

surrounded  by  colonnades,  sup- 
porting lofty  brick  walls  covered 
with  a  coating  of  stucco.  The 
sanctuary  is  imposing,  with  its 
thousands  of  columns  of  granite, 
marble,  porphyry,  of  Greek  or 
Roman  origin,  and  its  innumer- 
able lamps. 

The  porticoes  on  the  north 
and  south  serve  as  schoolrooms 
for  the  pupils  ;  partitions  of 
wooden  bars  separate  the 
groups  of  different  nationalities 
in  quarters,  rouags,  having  each 
their  superintendent,  the  naghevy 
and  their  professors  under  the 
high  direction  of  a  head -master. 
All  the  nations,  all  the  races 
of  Islam,  are  represented  here: 
Turks,  Persians,  Kurds,  Hin- 
doos, Syrians,  Arabs  from 
Hedjaz,  Maghrebins,  Algerines, 
Tripolitans,  Nubians,  negroes  from  the  Soudan  and  Kordofan. 

They  are  all  here :  those  of  the  north  and  those  of  the  extreme 
south,  those  of  the  west  and  those  of  the  east ;  the  Ottomans  of 
Stamboul,  the  blacks  of  the  Sahara,  the  inhabitants  of  Maghreb-el- 
Aksa,  and  Hindoos  from  the  banks  of  the  Ganges.  Turks,  Mongols, 
negroes,  Hindoos,  white,  yellow,  black,  red,  they  have  all  forgotten 
their  country,  their  difference  of  origin,  their  special  character,  their 
peculiar  affinities. 


An  Uleiua  of  Bl-Azhar. 


THE    MOSQUE    OF    EL-AZHAR.  331 

Maintained  by  the  Koran  in  a  formidable  cohesion,  trained 
by  stern  discipline,  subjected  to  inflaming  jjractices,  they  form  but 
one  nation — a  threatening  fanaticised  army,  always  ready  to  rush 
upon  Europe  at  the  voice  of  a  Mahdi,  or  a  Moslem  impostor  of 
any  sort. 

Grouped  by  quarters,  they  come  to  follow  the  classes,  listen  to  the 
lessons  of  the  learned  Ulemas,  commenting  on  the  Koran,  teachino-  it 
according  to  the  four  rites— malekite,  chafeite,  hanafite,  and  hanhibite 
—practised  in  Eg}^t,  explaining  the  laws  of  the  Prophet.  Boarded 
at  the  mosques,  they  also  receive  a  slight  monthly  allowance  and  oil 
for  the  lamps.  Gathered  together  in  circles,  holding  their  tablets  in 
their  hands,  lying  or  sitting  on  the  mats  that  cover  the  ground,  they 
learn  aloud  by  heart  verses  of  the  Koran,  which  they  recite  in  a 
drawling  and  monotonous  tone,  with  that  strange  swinging  of  the 
body  that  is  peculiar  to  Orientals.  Others  listen  attentively  to  the 
explanations  of  a  doctor  in  theology  or  a  professor  of  law  who  has  his 
back  to  a  column.  This  one,  on  his  knees,  turns  over  the  pages  of  a 
huge  book  placed  on  a  stand.  Others,  rolled  up  in  blankets,  are 
extended  on  the  ground  half  asleep.  One  is  deafened  by  the  immense 
himi  of  all  these  voices  dissolving  into  one  unique,  dull,  intense, 
incessant  clamour — made  giddy  by  the  perpetual  oscillations  of  these 
thousands  of  turbans. 

They  look  at  the  new-comers,  murmur  a  few  words  that  the  latter 
do  not  understand — no  doubt  a  malediction  upon  these  dogs  of 
Christians,  which  their  guides  repeat  in  petto ;  but  the  party  move 
about  without  difficulty. 

The  sheikh  then  conducts  them  to  Zawyet-el-Onmidn,  the  Chapel 
of  the  Blind.  A  special  fund,  taken  from  pious  legacies,  is  set  apart 
to  keep  these  unfortunates,  who  also  follow  the  classes  of  the  school, 
and  are  not  the  least  fanatical  among  the  pupils. 

Between  the  lessons  the  students  unite  in  groups,  converse  with 
visitors,  receive  their  relatives,  nibble  a  cake  of  doura  or  a  tart.  One 
purchases  an  orange,  another  a  lot  of  figs,  a  handful  of  dates,  of  a 
strolling  dealer,  who  will  retire  when  the  classes  recommence.  Water- 
sellers  make  their  copper  goblets  ring. 


332  THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 

The  Mosque  of  El-Azbar  was  the  last  refuge  of  those  in  revolt  on 
the  occasion  of  the  insurrection  in  Cairo  against  Bonaparte,  two  months 
after  the  city  was  captured.  Having  barricaded  all  the  issues,  they 
obstinately  continued  the  struggle.  Batteries  placed  on  Mokattam 
swept  them  down ;  they  refused  to  surrender.  At  length  the 
grenadiers,  having  surrounded  the  mosque  and  opened  fire  against  it, 
the  rebels,  taken  between  two  attacks,  fearing  to  be  buried  beneath  the 
ruins  of  the  building,  already  shaken  by  the  cannon-balls,  surrendered 
a.t  discretion  to  the  "  Sultan  of  the  cannonade." 

The  sheikh  reconducts  them  to  the  door  with  a  number  of 
salaamliks.  Onesime  bows  to  him  in  Oriental  fashion,  like  a  real 
son  of  Islam  ;  Jacques  thanks  him  as  well  as  he  is  able  ;  and  they 
leave  him  to  his  studies  and  his  pupils.  At  the  Bazaar  their  cicerone 
offers  them  a  cup  of  tea  in  his  shop.  They  purchase  some  knick-knacks 
of  him,  and  return  to  the  Esbekieh. 

After  a  rapid  snack,  Jacques  leaves  Onesime,  who  has  a  revenge  to 
take  at  billiards,  and  sets  out  for  Boulak  with  Ahmed. 

The  avenue  which  leads  there  is  very  much  frequented.  There  is 
a  great  traffic  of  carriages,  horsemen,  persons  on  foot,  porters,  asses, 
camels.  The  thoroughfare  is  broad,  has  plenty  of  air ;  but  one  is 
blinded  by  the  dust.  They  soon  reach  the  Khedive's  stables,  turn  to 
the  left  to  go  to  the  Museum,  and  are  at  Boulak.  Crossing  the  streets 
of  this  suburb,  they  think  of  the  terrible  resistance  that  its  inhabitants 
in  revolt  maintained  there  against  Kleber,  a  struggle  in  which  his 
soldiers  had  to  take  each  house  by  assault,  to  engage  in  a  combat  in 
every  street. 

Farther  on  they  pass  rapidly  by  an  animal  showman  and  his 
unfortunate  victims — an  equilibrist  goat,  monkey  gymnasts,  a  learned 
dog,  and  donkeys — poor  beasts  that  he  atrociously  torments. 

Here  they  are  at  last  at  the  Museum,  that  incomparable  collection 
got  together  by  Mariette  by  dint  of  energy  and  perseverance,  and  so 
zealously  continued  by  Maspero. 

In  the  courtyard  are  sphinxes  engraved  with  the  name  of 
Thotmes  III.,  sarcophagi,  a  colossus  of  Rameses  II.  in  pink  marble, 
other    colossi    of    kings    in    grey   granite,    the   statue   of  a  woman 


THE    BOULAK    MUSEUM. 


333 


covered  with  the  pephim  in  white  marble,  a  pedestal  of  Arsinoe,  a 
somewhat  defaced  cippus. 

Ill  the  absence  of  the  Doctor  to  initiate  Jacques  into  the  hidden 
mysteries  of  all  these  monuments,  Mariette's  clear  and  learned  notice 
serves  to  guide  him  through  the  venerable  remains  of  old  Egyptian 
civilisation. 

In  the  small  hall  are  a  fragment  of  a  stela,  a  Greek  head  in 
white  marble,  a  bust  of  a  Koman  emperor  in  red  porphyry. 


Sphinx  of  the  time  of  the  Hyksos. 


In  the  large  hall  you  notice,  among  other  objects,  a  head  of 
Pharaoh  covered  with  a  pschent  in  black  granite,  bas-reliefs,  stela3, 
inscriptions,  mummies'  coffins,  tables  for  offerings,  a  naos. 

The  room  of  the  Ancient  Empire  I  Here  one  finds  the  most  ancient 
monuments  of  Egypt :  a  sarcophagus  in  pink  granite;  the  sepulchre 
of  a  certain  Koufou-Ankh,  a  functionary  who  lived  six  thousand  years 
ago ;  panels  of  wood  carved  by  a  masterly  hand  ;  upright  stones  of  the 
doorways  from  the  tomb  of  Hoti ;  a  wooden  stela  from  that  of  Scheri ; 


334 


THE    LAND    OF    THE    SPHINX. 


anotlier  monolith  stela  of  the  tomb  of  Sabou.  They  are  articles  of 
remarkable  execution  and  precision  of  touch  ;  it  is  the  work  of  a 
people  in  full  civilisation,  and  not  the  rude  attempts  of  a  nation 
in  its  infancy. 

The  Hyksos  Room  contains  the  only  monuments  known  of  this 
period  that  can  give  us  some  information  about  the  invasion  of  those 
Asiatics,  who,  after  having  put  Egypt  to  the  brand  and  sword,  held 

it   for    more    than    five    centuries 
under  their  domination. 

In  the  Centre  Room  are  objects 
of  all  sorts  —  religious,  funeral, 
civil,  historical  :  bronzes  of  Osiris, 
Isis,  Horns,  Anubis,  Ammon ;  a 
porcelain  of  Typhon ;  a  faience  of 
Thotli  ;  a  statuette  of  Neith  in 
lapis-lazuli.  And  here  are  funeral 
rituals,  beetles,  bolsters,  sandals, 
mummies  of  ibis,  and  the  famous 
wooden  statue  of  the  Sheikh  El- 
Beled  with  his  stick  in  his  hand. 
Finally,  the  beetles  with  royal 
cartouches,  pails,  vases,  a  vessel  in 
massive  silver,  an  axe,  a  statue 
of  Chephren  in  diorite,  supremely 
majestic,  Cheops'  stone,  a  full- 
length  statue  of  Osiris. 
The  Eastern  Room  possesses  beetles,  cases  of  mummies,  Canopus 
vases,  pectorals,  amulets,  statues  of  the  Ancient  Empire,  arms  of  all 
periods,  furniture,  utensils,  clothes,  bronze  tools,  axes,  knives,  and 
scissors. 

In  the  Jewel  Room  one  remains  a  long  time  before  the  glass  case 
enclosing  those  of  Queen  Aah-hotep  :  bracelets  of  gold  and  pearls, 
earrings,  a  splendid  gold  necklace  in  repousse  of  marvellous  workman- 
ship, and  rings  ;  a  fly-flipper,  and  an  axe  in  cedar-wood,  of  which  the 
handles  are  completely  covered  with  leaves  of  gold  ;  a  boat  and  its 


^^^^^ 

P 

^ 

/ 

V 

V.Vi». 

/^^^^^l 

1^  ■ 

j 

/ 

4j^H 

statue  of  Sheikh  El-Beled. 


THE    MUMMIES    OF    DEIR-EL-BAHAEI.  335 

crew  in  massive  gold  ;  a  superb  alabaster  statue  of  Queen  Ameniritis  : 
and  the  two  statues  in  calcareous  stone  of  Ra-hotep  and  Nefert, 
contemporaneous  with  King  Snefru  of  the  third  dynasty— the  two 
most  ancient  statues  known  of  the  Ancient  Empire,  and  consequently 
of  the  world. 

Then,  finally,  here  are  the  famous  royal  mummy  boxes  which 
Masp^ro  has  just  discovered  at  Deir-el-Bahari  in  the  plain  of  Thebes. 
They  are  here  in  the  Eastern  Room,  hardly  unpacked.  Most  of  these 
mummies  are  so  well  preserved,  that  after  more  than  three  thousand 
years  one  can  still  clearly  catch  the  expression  of  their  features. 
Masp^ro,  who  is  present,  gives  Jacques  some  information  concerning 
the  mummies,  after  having  related  the  details  of  the  discovery. 

They  are  the  Theban  Sekenen-Ra-Taaken  and  Queen  An  sera  of 
the  seventeenth  dynasty.  Sekenen  is  the  Conqueror  of  the  Hyksos, 
the  hero  of  the  War.  of  Independence  against  those  Asiatics.  He  must 
have  died  on  the  field  of  battle,  struck  down  by  two  terrible  blows  : 
one,  probably  a  cut  from  an  axe,  which  split  his  jaw  ;  the  other  a 
thrust  from  a  lance,  which  must  have  penetrated  above  the  arch  of  the 
right  eyebrow.  He  bears  an  expression  of  intense  sufiering  on  his 
face,  and  has  bitten  his  tongue  in  his  agouy. 

Tall,  slim,  muscular,  he  has  a  long  head  rounded  by  black  hair, 
deeply  set  eyes,  a  straight  nose,  large  at  the  base,  cheeks  bulging  out, 
the  maxillary  glands  being  very  pronounced. 

Beside  him  is  Ahmes,  his  descendant,  then  his  son  Amenhotep, 
Queens  Ahmes-Nofretari,  Aak-hotep,  Hontimos,  Prince  Se-Amen, 
Princess  Set-Amen,  Kings  Thotmes  I.,  Thotmes  II.,  Thotmes  III., 
all  of  the  eighteenth  dynasty. 

Of  the  nineteenth  dynasty  we  have  Rameses  I.  and  his  son,  the  old 
Seti  I.,  builder  of  Karnac.  The  head  of  this  last  is  stamped  with  great 
intelligence,  his  white  teeth  are  remarkably  preserved,  and  the  ends  of 
his  fingers  indicate  that  he  suffered  from  gout.  His  son  Rameses  II.. 
the  great  Sesostris  of  tradition,  bears  a  striking  resemblance  to  his 
father,  and  possesses  his  robust  vigour.  The  head  is  elongated  and 
small ;  a  few  locks  of  hair  cover  the  skull  ;  the  forehead  is  low  and 
narrow,  the  eyes  are  close  together,  the  brows  short  and  thick  ;  the 


386  THE  LAND  OF  THE  SPHINX. 

nose  IS  long,  thin,  very  much  curved  ;  the  cheeks  stand  out  promi- 
nently ;  the  chin,  which  comes  very  forward,  is  furnished  with  a  few 
rare  hairs  ;  the  mouth  is  small  with  thick  lips  ;  the  teeth  are  worn  ; 
the  ears  stand  out,  and  are  pierced.  The  expression  is  not  very 
intelligent — it  is  even  brutal— but  it  has  an  air  of  command,  resolution, 
and  pride  that  are  astounding.  Rameses  III.  is  the  attenuated  like- 
ness of  his  father,  with  a  little  more  intelligence,  and  less  coarseness. 

The  twenty-first  dynasty  gives  us  Queen  Notem-Maut,  King 
Pinotem  II.,  the  grand  priest  Masaturti,  the  Queen  Athor-Houut- 
Taui,  the  Queens  Makara  and  Isi-Em-Kheb,  the  Princess  Nasi- 
Khonsu,  the  Prince  and  priest  Tatf-Ankh-Nebseni,  the  priest  Noi- 
Shounau. 

Besides  the  coffins  and  the  mummies,  more  than  five  or  six 
thousand  other  smaller  relics  are  here  :  royal  papyrus;  cupboards  in 
papyrus,  containing,  one,  princesses'  wigs;  embalmed  sheeps'  legs  and 
calves'  heads,  vases  that  served  for  libations,  a  cupboard  belonging 
to  Queen  Makara  and  her  daughters,  and  a  swarm  of  other  small 
objects. 

And  now,  before  these  mummies  dating  from  three  thousand  years, 
in  face  of  these  sculptures  of  the  ancient  empire  of  Ra-hotep  and 
Nefert,  six  thousand  years  old,  in  presence  of  the  Sphinx  of  an 
unbelievable  age,  so  far  is  it  lost  in  the  night  of  time,  to  how  many 
thousands  of  years  must  we  go  back  for  the  commencement  of  the 
history  of  Egypt  ? 

The  Sphinx  is  its  oldest  known  monument,  as  it  is  the  most  perfect 
in  point  of  proportions,  lines,  and  audacity  of  execution.  It  is  the 
result  of  an  art  arrived,  if  not  at  its  climax,  at  least  at  a  high  degree 
of  perfection.  Other  masterpieces  of  its  period  must  exist,  buried 
beneath  the  sand,  perhaps  lost  for  ever  ;  for  it  cannot  be  the  sole 
monument  of  its  period.  Is  it  the  last  word,  the  summit  of  art- 
in  those  distant  times  ?  Does  it  mark  a  commencement  of  decline 
which  continued  with  the  first  empire  and  went  on  always  increasing 
until  more  recent  periods  ?  Chance  alone,  by  uncovering  some  day 
another  monument  contemporaneous  with  this  colossus  of  calcareous 
rock,  might  give  the  solution  to  the  problem,  and  perhaps  the  priests 


The  shoieo  of  iLe  iolelof  Gheiiieh. 


22 


THE    BOULAK   PORT.  339 

of  Egypt  were  right  when  they  made  the  origin  of  Egyptian  history 
ascend  more  than  thirty  thousand  years. 

From  the  terrace  of  the  Museum,  the  supporting  wall  of  which 
bathes  in  the  Nile,  the  view  is  splendid  :  opposite  is  the  island  of 
Ghezireh,  with  the  long  line  of  palm  trees  that  covers  its  shores,  with 
its  boats  at  anchor  or  drawn  up  on  the  banks  ;  to  the  left,  the  river 
speckled  with  craft,  the  Kasr-el-Nil  Bridge  in  the  background  ;  to 
the  right,  the  Nile  extending  northward,  broad  and  imposing. 

Leaving  the  garden,  Jacques  and  Ahmed  proceed  to  the  port  and 
walk  along  the  quays.  Impossible  for  anything  to  be  more  lively 
more  animated,  than  this  emporium  of  all  the  commerce  of  the  north 
and  south  of  Egypt. 

Multitudes  of  vessels  lie  side  by  side  along  the  shore  :  canges, 
dahabiehs,  steamers,  yachts,  transports,  and  rafts. 

From  the  south  come  the  vessels  from  Assouan  loaded  with  senna, 
gathered  in  the  desert  by  the  warlike  Ababdiehs  ;  elephants'  tusks, 
rhinoceros'  and  antelopes'  horns  from  Darfour  ;  courbashes  of  hipiw- 
potamus  hide  from  Sennaar  ;  skins  of  jaguars,  zebras,  and  giraffes, 
arms  and  necklaces  from  Khartoum. 

Dahabiehs  with  elevated  poops  advance  ;  they  hail  from  Esneh 
with  ivory,  ostrich  feathers,  acacia  gum,  nitre,  transported  across  the 
desert  by  caravans  from  Abyssinia  ;  coffee  and  incense  from  Arabia ; 
spices,  pearls,  precious  stones,  cashmeres,  silk,  from  India,  arriving  by 
the  desert  of  Kosheir. 

Transports  from  Kenneh,  composed  of  two  boats  lashed  one  to  the 
other  by  cords  with  a  common  flooring,  discharge  their  lofty  and 
fragile  cargoes  of  pottery  ;  bardaks  of  porous  earth  to  keep  water 
of  the  Nile  in,  pitchers,  amphora3  of  all  sizes  and  all  forms. 

Edfou  sends  its  pipes,  its  charming  vases  in  red  and  black  clay, 
elegant  in  form,  with  gracefully  modelled  ornaments. 

And  there  are  heavy  barges  from  Fayoum,  the  land  of  roses,  filled 
to  the  top  with  rye,  barley,  cotton,  indigo  ;  dahabiehs  full  of  carpets, 
woollen  stuffs,  flagons  of  rose-water,  mats  made  with  the  reeds  of 
Birket-el-Keroun. 

From  the  north  come  rice  from  Damietta,  doura  and  maize  from 


340  THE  LAND  OF  THE  SPHINX. 

the  province  of  Charkieh.  Alexandria  forwards  its  goods  from  Europe 
and  Asia :  Syrian  tobaccos,  Persian  carpets,  draperies  from  Aleppo, 
Smyrna,  Damascus,  heavy  freights  of  wood  cut  on  the  mountains  of 
Karamania,  millions  of  bushels  of  dried  grapes  which  will  be  converted 
into  brandy,  provisions  of  dried  fruit,  Turkish  tobacco,  soap  from  the 
islands  of  the  Archipelago. 

Sailors  of  all  countries,  all  colours,  all  races,  naked  or  dressed,  in  a 
bustle  without  a  pause,  run  like  cats  through  these  piles  of  things, 
climbing  to  the  yards,  hoisting  the  sails,  raising  enormous  cases, 
moving  heavy  bales  of  cotton,  rolling  great  tuns  of  oil,  filling  vats 
with  pitch,  vociferating  with  horrible  imprecations,  quarrelling, 
exchanging  blows  ;  while  others,  lazily  extended  in  the  bit  of  shade  of 
a  yawl  heaved  high  and  dry,  lunch  on  some  figs,  or  smoke  their 
narghilehs. 

And  in  the  midst  of  this  din,  there  are  donkeys  bending  beneath 
their  burdens,  on  whom  blows  are  being  showered;  camels  abominably 
loaded,  moaning  frightfully  and  refusing  to  rise  ;  donkey  boys  who 
storm,  camel  drivers  who  yell,  carters  who  slash  the  bellies  of  their 
cattle  with  blows  of  the  whip. 

Fellaheen  naked  to  the  waist  discharge  a  corn-boat ;  others  empty 
rough  stone  from  a  barge.  Here  it  is  a  dahabieh  that  they  are  repaint- 
ing ;  its  reis  overlooks  the  work  and  discusses  with  an  American  the 
price  of  a  voyage  to  the  second  cataract.  There  is  a  yacht  at  anchor 
carrying  the  British  flag,  admirably  kept  in  order.  Its  exquisite 
cleanliness  ill  accords  with  the  filth  of  the  native  craft.  The  crew,  in 
dark  blue  jerseys  and  little  black  caps  with  streaming  ribbons,  calm 
and  cold,  smoking  short  white  Irish  clay  pipes,  contemplate  with  dis- 
dain the  clamorous  mob  of  Arabs.  Or  a  steamer  of  Cook's  Agency 
leaving  for  Thebes,  a  yacht  of  the  Khedive,  a  boat  crossing  over  among 
the  flotilla  of  small  craft  and  vessels,  passes  under  way  at  full  sail 
on  the  immense  river. 

They  escape  from  this  tumult,  and  with  difficulty  regain  the  street 
which  runs  parallel  to  the  Nile  ;  they  follow  it  to  the  bridge  of  Kasr-el- 
Nil,  which  they  cross,  and,  turning  sharply  to  the  right,  find  themselves 
at  Ghezireh,  opposite  Boulak. 


THE    GHEZIEEH    DRIVE.  341 

A  high  dyke  planted  with  palm  trees  borders  the  bank  ;  gronps  of 
decayed  mud  houses,  hung  all  over  with  old  clothes  ;  broken  cages, 
branches  of  sorghum,  broken  pottery,  rubbish  of  all  sorts,  scattered 
over  the  ground,  are  seen  through  the  trees — in  those  hovels  live  fisher- 
men, bargemen,  poverty-stricken  folk.  Here  and  there  is  a  sort  of  shop 
of  clay  and  planks,  where  they  sell  raki,  cofi'ee,  oranges,  maize  cakes, 
and  things  without  a  name.  To  the  right,  on  the  slope  which  descends 
to  the  river,  small  vessels  are  drawn  up  ;  sailors  mend  sails,  repair 
damaged  old  sloops,  calk  a  craft,  or  re-tar  it  ;  others  seated  or  lying 
down,  at  the  bottom  of  a  boat  at  anchor,  smoke  cigarettes  and  drink 
cofi'ee. 

On  the  other  side  of  the  road,  to  the  left,  are  sheets  of  water  formed 
on  the  low  land  by  the  inundation  ;  farther  on  is  the  avenue  of 
Ghezireh  bordered  by  sycamores.  They  follow  it  on  their  way  back. 
This  is  the  promenade  of  the  Champs  Elyse'es  of  Cairo.  There  is 
hardly  any  one  out  to-day,  but  on  Fridays  and  Sundays  all  the  world  of 
fashion  drives  here  :  victorias,  horsemen,  hired  carriages,  asses,  mules, 
pedestrians,  Europeans,  Arabs,  passing  to  and  fro  in  picturesque  variety. 

At  the  hotel  Jacques  finds  Onesime,  who  is  awaiting  him  with 
impatience  ;  he  has  received  a  telegram  from  the  Doctor,  who  urges 
them  to  join  him  at  Thebes.  To-morrow  a  vessel  of  Cook's  Company 
is  leaving.  They  hasten  to  engage  a  cabin.  Ahmed  and  Hassan  are 
disconsolate  at  losing  their  customers.  A  good  baksheesh  somewhat 
calms  their  regret,  and  a  serious  letter  of  recommendation,  which  the 
two  friends  hand  them  at  their  request,  almost  completely  consoles 
them.  Abdallah  has  already  an  excellent  master,  whom  the  Doctor 
procured  for  him  before  his  departure. 

To-night,  Jacques  and  Onesime  have  taken  their  farewell  dinner 
with  their  landlord.  His  servants  have  conveyed  their  trunks  to  the 
boat ;  to-morrow  they  will  be  on  their  way  to  Upper  Egypt. 


# 


54 


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UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 

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